Invisible Princess
by AlinaAlaska
Summary: Yuko Menmonta is invisible, and she doesn't care. She lives with relatives that disapprove of her, in a society that doesn't want to know about her, and she gave up on them years a goes. She spends her high school life friendless and alone until a certain host realizes that he seems to have forgotten this one invisible princess. Please criticizes colorfully and creatively.
1. Introduction:Read First Please

**Introduction**

There are a few important things for my readers to know before they start this journey:

1. This is the first fanfiction I've ever written. Actually this is the first story I've ever written. As such you will see a massive change is writing style as I try to find my own voice. The beginning chapters are shaky at best, but, from what other people have told me, it has been fixed...ish. Try to be patient as I was not, and may not be still, a writer at heart. My talents are in math and science, and that bleeds into my writing, but liked I've said before I've been trying to improve. Telling a story in words is not my greatest strength as I think, dream, and explain things normally in pictures.

2. I am the author of Invisible Princess who is on Quotev. So if any of you freak out because you think that I stole this story from AlinaAlaska that is on Quotev, just know that I am the same person. (If you have any doubts you can post a comment either in my story or profile in Quotev to be sure.)

3. I am posting this story to this site because I wish for more feedback. I'm going to guess that most of you will most likely not comment constructively, but I'm going to leave this here just to give it a shot.

4. Since this was originally posted on Quotev, I will be updating on Quotev first. I don't know if I'll remember to update the same day or week on this website, but know that Quotev will be my first priority.

5. If you are going to comment please do not tell me about grammar errors in the majority of the chapters. Just know that I already know. All of that was before I got someone to help me find my horrible English skills. I would instead like comments instructing me how to write characters, constant story-telling flaws, nitpicks, or what you dislike/like (however if you are going to do this last one please be detailed). All of this helps me figure out what I how to say what I want in words, because like I stated in before words are not my first communication medium.

6. If you start reading and liking this story, just know that it normally takes me weeks, if not months, to update. If I do take somewhere around months it is normally because the chapter is going to be well polished or very long.

7. After I am finished writing the story I am going to go back and revise the chapters so the writing style is the same and so I can fix all of the issues that I have with the earlier chapters. However, like I said, I'm going to be doing with after I finish writing out the rest of the story.

8. Just so you all know now, this is **not a love story. **I am not shipping anyone together, nor is this a self-projection. I wrote this story to have a purpose. The events that take place, the story you might read, everything that I have typed, is to develop my main character. This is a story about Yuko. Not about YukoXHostsNameHere.

Thank you very much for reading this and I hope you enjoy.


	2. The Morning Incident

The bell had just rung. Gathering your things from under and to the right side of your desk, you get ready to leave. Some of your slightly strawberry-blond, yet somehow brownish, hair falls out of the bobby-pin meant to keep your annoying bangs out of your face. Your hair is pulled in a low pony-tail which swishes lightly from side to side with each of your movements. The large round glasses that you decided just to deal with instead of getting contacts because no one cared what you looked like, or you in particular, kept sliding down your nose periodically. Your entire appearance, minus the expensive yellow puffy dress with white collar, sleeve-cuff, and trim, told the story of a girl who didn't care about her appearance. No make-up. Brushed, but not styled hair. Your Mary-Jane shoes weren't even polished, and your white stockings were slightly wore.

You start weaving your way out of the idles-desked classroom when suddenly your bag gets caught against a corner of a random desk, making you jerk back. Your back hits someone's shoulder so you fall forward and trip on the leg of another desk which makes you topple over couple of chairs. You've taken down those chairs and the attached desks with your fall so your knees and elbows sting slightly form the impact of the wooden legs and your limbs.  
>"Oh, I am so sorry, Princess. Are you alright?" You hear from a very flattering, rosy, smoldering, and familiar voice from behind you as the person you had bumped into helps you up. You are set back on your feel and you pat your dress down. Then looking at the plain black and white watch on your wrist you say, "I know, my beauty stunned you and made you clumsy. Thank you for your help."<br>Tamaki is still stunned as he watches you leave the classroom. After you have gone he turns to Kyouya.  
>"Hey, have I ever ran into that girl before?"<br>Kyouya looks over at Tamaki nonchalantly then pulls out his black book. While trying to find a certain page he says, "Actually, she's tripped over you four times this month. And I believe you have given her the same complement each time."  
>Tamaki looks back over at the door with an even more upset expression then he had before.<p> 


	3. Reminiscing

You walk home. You have long since stopped taking advantage of your uncle's driver that picks up your cousins from the Academy, and actually, you really enjoy the quiet walk. Normally you change out of your school uniform to keep from being mugged on the way to the mansion, but today it was cold enough to wear a dress coat. Now you just look like any schoolgirl with higher end cloths.

The incident with Tamaki has drifted from your memory because of the frequency of the situation. You don't even grow warm from his "compliments" anymore. True, the first time last year when you had tripped over him you had daydreamed that he would actually be your prince. However, your cousins had made sure that you understood that you were't anything important to Tamaki: he complemented every girl. At first you were quite resistant against this, but when you had ran into him two more times and he said the exact thing as the first time, you accepted the fact that he was simply courteous to everyone, which really meant he didn't care about anyone. Yuko Menmonta was still invisible.

On the walked home you often wondered and pondered over making yourself visible, tangible. Over the weeks and months of your fifth-grade year, or, as the Japanese called it, elementary fifth-year, you struggled against the cold yet courteous shoulder everyone, including your uncle, had given you. You knew that your mother had eloped with an American soldier, leaving all of her family behind, but you never knew how much your mother's side of the family saw that as abandonment. When your parents had died, your uncle was the only one of your living relatives that "welcomed" you into his home. From the moment that you had unpacked your things in you new room, which really to you looked more like a living room, he had come in and told you exactly what he thought of your mothers actions. He told you that he would try to make your life easier after your trauma and give you every privilege of his own children, but you would do well to act like a reasonable human being. "Unlike your parents," was a subtext that you had sensed at the end of that speech.

Your uncle had told you the truth when he said that he would give you every opportunity, but it was always given with a sense of obligation, never love. He would praise his own daughters whenever he could but you had to ask for that same praise. For a few months your first year in middle school you tried to act out, to demand for love, but you soon found that they would treat you the same. Never a harsh word, but always out of obligation. So then you quite your outburst and instead in-bursted, drawing everything in and becoming silent. You soon found peace with your invisibility.

School was not any different from your so-called home. Shima and Mim, your cousins, had already told everyone about the black sheep of the family, imposing on their home and toys, and dividing their fathers attention. The children would treat you with tolerance because of their up-bringing. You made no friends.  
>Eventually to escape from the constant feeling you had of imposing, you asked your uncle to make you a small cottage with all the necessities of a home in the backyard of their grounds. He had complied without even a second thought. Now the right corner of the yard had it's own residence. The front door had a sign posted on the front reading "Yuko's Cave", and that was that. The cabin was practically an apartment -an expensive apartment. The floors were marble, and were carpet was needed it was plush. The living room had a cream colored fur love seat and a plasma T.V with gaming systems. The kitchen was full and looked like a smaller version of a designers kitchen, with a small glass table with two plush seats just on it's outskirts. There was a hallway that led to a master-bedroom, fully modern in décor, with an ill-used vanity in a section of the up-grade bathroom and walk-in closet. The room also contained a state of the art computer with three screens and a laptop for on-the-go reasons, as well as a large study desk with shelves of books on either side. The other side of the hallway contained your art studio, which was practically a large glass-walled room with marble flooring. The windows, of course, had large curtains that could completely block the sun out of the entire room if you so wished. The room was often scattered with art works of various mediums and had a work desk just as messy as the floor. This was the only room which showed any personality. The rest of the house was always properly clean, with a seemingly chalk outline for every item. The art room is the only room in which your conscious is expressed, and no one, ever, entered that room. Occasionally if you should have a kindly servant who actually cared somewhat for you over for a visit you would simply close all the curtains in your art room and lock the doors, then your mind would be cut off from the rest of the world, enshrouded in the comforts and safety of the dark.<p>

On this particular day, when you walk into your house, you realize that there are several pairs of shoes in the cubby with "Shoes here, please" sign above it. And the door to your art studio was open with voices coming from it. Horrified, you run to protect your mind from invasion.


	4. Locked in the Closet

You slam the doors open with both hands when you slide down your hallway. Inside of the room, seven pairs of eyes look over at you. You recognize them as your school's host club, which Tamaki is president- his eyes looking at you squarely and sadly as he is holding a picture you had painted of a distressed mermaid trapped beneath a frozen body of water.

Once you have taken in who is exactly in your room, you actually turn as cold as the mermaid. The once fiery words you meant to throw like daggers now instead corrode and break, leaving you gaping at this club that you had never meant invited to. You hands, once fists, now clam up and slightly shake the doors you are still clinging to as if there is an earthquake. You hoarsely squeak inaudible words and are unsure whether to let yourself fall to the ground or to close the doors and try walking back out of your house, then walking back in to make sure that you weren't delusional. You decide on the later and start shutting the doors when Tamaki suddenly grabs for your wrist, forcing you into the room.

"Wait, Miss Menmonta!"

You were so startled by this touch that you involuntarily squeak and jerk back, pulling your wrist from his hand. He had pulled you far enough into the room that you heard the doors behind you click together, and when you turn to confirm your fears you see twins. They had a mischievous look about them, but at the same time there was pity in those cat-like features that seemed to be holding them back. Tamaki tries to calm your panicking by talking to you again, but you quickly run for the supply closet in the room that had a lock. Once the door is shut behind you, you curl into a fetal position and pray that they will leave.

"I told you just walking into her house was probably not a good idea. Look how terrified she was!" You hear slightly muffled by the thick mahogany door. The voice was higher-pitched, yet could maybe pass as a feminine-male.

"Well her cousins said that we could just wait in her house," you hear the hysterical voice of Tamaki, which you had never heard outside of it's usual smolder.

"Oh, Yuko-chan!" There is a tugging at the door and the pleading child-like voice continues in trying to coax you out of your safe haven.  
>At this moment you argue with yourself whether you should open the door and apologize for your over dramatic reaction towards their visit. The pleadings continue and you can also hear the feminine voice scolding everyone, trying to get them to move away from the door and give you space.<p>

Finally you decide to just talk to them from the confines of your sanction. "I'll come out when I'm good and ready! Who are all of you, and how have you broken into my house?"

The art room silences. Then you recognize Kyouya's methodical and self-assured voice, "You cousins let us in and told us we could wait in this room for you as you walk home from school ever day. I think, however, you know the answer to your first question."

You consider what he is telling you. You have known that your cousins hated you, but how did they get a key to your house? The maids didn't even have a key; you were responsible enough to treat you home like you were actually paying for it. Maybe they knew where your uncle kept his copy. Then after thinking this you confirm to yourself that this must be the answer.

"Why are you here?"

This time Tamaki spoke, and his voice was neither charming nor hysterical. "I wanted to apologize for today in class and the club wanted to invite you to join us tomorrow."

" Then why didn't you send a card and invitation like everyone else?"

"I wanted to say this personally, and we wanted you to feel like are are welcome to the club."

You think back to the accident of the morning, then you realize why he might have done this to you.

"Listen," you say shakily, "if this is for interrupting your compliment, I'm sorry. If I had known that it would mean invasion of my home I would never had said it. Please, I'm really sorry. Tomorrow I'll just take whatever flattering words you give me."

There is a moment of silence that is then broken by an eruption of laughter.

"No, Princess, this isn't a punishment. We would really like to speak with you. Would you please unlock the door?"

Now you are confused. Tempted by curiosity, you uncurl yourself. You look under the door and see that a blur of feet are crowded around the door. You realize that your glasses have fallen off of your face for the first time. Then sliding up to look through the side crack , your hands clinging to the door-nob. You see Tamaki, his face bent over the handle of the door as if he is looking at a child. In his hands are your glasses, but you forgot about those as, even through your blurred vision, you see his expression. Not since your parents death have you seen that, even the maids have never showed it. You are so shocked and amazed by it that you find yourself unconsciously unlocking the door. As you open the door, his expression of acceptance is still the same.


	5. Unexpected Awkward Party

The door wasn't quickly forced back as you thought it would be. Everyone just let the door open in its own sweet time. Still on your knees you peek your head out of the door. Tamaki is still standing over you, but then he lowers himself down to his knees and tries to place your glasses on your nose, but you take them from his hands instead and position them and tap the metal connection between the lenses lightly with your right hand ring finger. You awkwardly move your disarranged bangs out of your face and look at the party that has assembled in your private room.

You're still sitting on your knees and decide you don't want to get up, your going to stay right there behind the door just encase they try to make a grab for you. To your surprise all of them are still patient. They don't say a word and seem to be waiting for you to say something. Looking at each one in the face, taking in your situation, your eyes finally come back to Tamaki's and you take a deep breath.

"So, are you all going to stare at me awkwardly or are you going to invite me to a something-party that you apparently planned in my house."

The comment broke the ice and everyone smiled at you. Tamaki offers you his hand, which you take, and he pulls you to your feet. Once you stand, you pat off your school dress that your still in. You then offer if anyone wants something to drink as you swing your arms a couple of times the clasp them together. There is a unified agreement and they soon file out of your art studio.

You make sure that you are the last one out so you can lock the doors. Then you politely excuse yourself to get dress and offer to have everyone find a comfortable place to sit. Once getting out of your uniform and into a black tank-top, grey sweater, jeans, and your favorite fuzzy socks, you walk out into your crowded living room.

The tallest boy of the host club, Mori as you recall, sits with the shortest boy, Hunny (you think), on his lap on the couch, and the girlish boy,Haruhi, sits next to him. The twins have taken to the floor in front of the coffee table, which is to say in front of the couch and Tamaki and Kyouya are sitting at your dining table. Seeing that there really is no place for you to sit you go back into your room and get the rolling chair to your desk and wheel it around so it sits next to the wall between the kitchen and the living room. You ask what everyone wants then, and are grateful when they all ask for drinks you actually have. You hand out the drinks, then get a 7-up for yourself as you feel some queasiness starting in your stomach.

You pull you knees up to your chest and wait for someone to speak. When it is once again evident that everyone is waiting for you, you start the conversation.

"Alright, so why did you come here again?"

Tamaki gives you the same answer as before.

"Okay, why do you feel like you need to apologize to me first off, and why are you inviting me to your club?"

"I didn't remember you, so I felt that I needed to apologize," Tamaki states like that really does answer your question.

Hunny replies, "We felt bad that we had never invited you. I mean your cousins visit us, so why shouldn't you?"

"Our jobs as host mean that we are suppose to cater to our guest inside and outside of the club. Tamaki makes it a special service of his to visit costumers in our home room, so we feel as if we have especially neglected you as you have been in the same class as Tamaki and I both years of high school," Kyouya replies.

You feel like his statement makes the most sense. The twins then start to speak after a moments silence, switching between speakers.  
>"All of us have seen you around- And you've even come by a couple of times to pick up your cousins right?- And none of us have given you more then a "hello"- So we thought we should all invite you to the host club tomorrow."<p>

" Why didn't you just think to ask me tomorrow, like, before school?" At this your tone is a little exasperated.

"It would be too late then. We wanted to give you as much time to think about it was we could," Hunny says shaking his head. Mori grunts an agreement.

Haruhi finally give an input, "Look, I know they are a little bit dysfunctional and inconvenient but they are trying to do something nice for you because you seem lonely."

What Haruhi says makes you look over, and as you look Haruhi over you realize something, but decide to keep it to yourself at present.  
>"One more question," you sigh. "How did you find where I live?"<p>

Kyouya speaks for this one. "I keep records of all our customers and their residence. We simply went over to the mansion and asked for you. Your cousins led us back here and let us in."

"Hm-mm" you grunt, grumbling in your head over the amount of trouble your cousins have given you.

You think very carefully over all of the information that had been presented to you. You didn't want to confirm or deny their offer as of yet, but you needed more information before you made a conclusive decision. You spend a few minutes of thinking over the bits of information that you have, and putting them into appropriation places in this messing puzzle. There are a few blank spots, but they are not as important to your present predicament; besides everyone is looking over at you for an answer. You flick up your glasses with your forefinger and look at the patient, yet anxious eyes.

"Just for clarification, you came to my house because you," you pointed at Tamaki, "felt bad that you didn't remember me. After discussing this with your club all of you realized that you had, at some point, meet me, and wanted to give me a sense of belonging, or recognizatione by inviting yourselves over to my house- the address of my home apparently being common knowledge- and asking me to a...tea party. Correct?"  
>Everyone nodded.<p>

"Well", you state, "there is absolutely no reason for these rash and unorthodox behaviors from any of you. You probably don't remember me because I didn't want to make myself rememberble. I like my quite and invisible life, so your lack of memory is nothing to be ashamed of as this is the way I have always done things. I'm sorry that you made the trouble to come over here, but there was nothing for you to apologize for in the first place."

Tamaki looked at you harshly, the rest of the members, minus Kyouya, looked sad and surprised( You seem to be surprising them a lot today).

"No Princess should feel like she is invisible." Tamaki says with vehement. "Every Princess should feel cherished and doted on, like she is worth the world, not like she is just another thing that can be forgotten." ( your eye twitched) "

You have a right to refuse our request, but I don't feel satisfied with your reasoning. You might feel like there was nothing done wrong, but we as host club members do." His finish had a little emphasis to it.

You had always known that Tamaki had at least some book smarts because of his scores in class, but never had you suspected there to be a reasoning train of thought in that pretty, seemingly air filled, head. He had always seemed so pompous that it was hard to think of him as serious. Even though his own points were, more or less, just as "invalid" as your own, they were the first time in years that anyone had told you that you might actually be worth more then the sum of your parents past mistakes.

You feel a small longing, the want to embrace these people and let them fill in the large gaps in your heart-

No. You must reject those feelings. They didn't come for you, they came for their own satisfaction. Had you not spoken out and made yourself accidentally noticed you would have continued to be invisible. If he really meant what he said, he would have remembered at least that you run into him a couple of times a month.

After coming back to your predicament you look over the host club members. Each of their faces, minus Kyouya again-his as analytic, were hopeful. Tamaki's face was more easily readable than the others, and as you looked over the expression in his eyes you made your decision: play it cool, think reasonably, and let them down slowly.

You straighten yourself out of your curled position and relocated your glasses to their proper place. You take a deep breath and give them your reply.

"I'll join you tomorrow for the tea party, but whether I continue to go will be my own choice."

Kyouya's glasses flash, and there is a small smirk beneath he atomatic features. You turn to look each host in the face. Tamaki is satisfied, and looks more like a dog who just got away with taking food from the dinner table. The twins are smiling and look the most eager out of the group. Mori's face is kind, and Hunny sparkles with innocents and joy. Haruhi's face, however looks suspicious.

Despite that you smile reassuringly and let everyone finish their drinks. As they, mostly, seem convinced you hint for their departure and they all leave. On passing the way out, Haruhi whispered one thing to you, " We really do mean it," then left. You stare almost coldly at the blue jacket and bouncy brown hair walking down the path to the front gate.

Once inside your house alone, you lock the front door and go down the hallway to your art room. Feeling tired and stressed you pull out a new canvas and begin to paint your feelings. You didn't have any homework so you don't concern yourself with anything else but your emotions. When you finally pull free of your trance it's 9:30, and you clean up and leave your unfinished product on the stand. Before leaving the room you take one last glance at your handiwork, and savor the colors and structures. You smile and wonder how much tomorrow will be like the masquerade on the canvas. Several guys dance around a girl shrouded in a blue color just the same hue as the walls and carpet of the magnificent ballroom. As the men smile at the girl, none of them seem to realize the smiling mask that she has put in front of her face. The expression behind the mask is clever and planning.

The face almost seemed to say," So, let Act 1 begin."


	6. The Tea-Party Part 1

The bell rang. You gathered your things from your desk, your head pounding a little from all the new information from the day. You almost make it to the door when someone calls out your name. "Miss Menmonta, wait. We will walk with you."

You are slightly confused when you turn to see who has called out your name. When you see the two boys you remember yesterdays adventure, and are disappointed that they remembered. That was the problem with agreements, people often remembered them. You wait for the boys and when they are finally ready the three of you leave the class room together.

When you make it out into the hallway the boys separate and stand on either side of you. You are unsure whether they just happened to do this as they do feel as if they are escorting you, or if they purposely planned to block your escape. They loom over you, and you realize how tall they both are. None of you speak for some time, creating an awkward silence.

Tamaki finally breaks this by opening a conversation with Kyouya about their club events. You remembered some of the club as you had gone in there to remind your cousins of some driver waiting for them. There were couches, coffee tables, and food. The boys each sat at a different couch and talked about something. Occasionally a girl would swoon over some comment, but you never really payed much attention to it. You had always considered anything that your cousins found interesting to be another unhelpful way to kill brain cells. You, being just mildly curious, listen in. He talks about some sort of cosplay that they plan on doing in a few days. Kyouya talks about prices. Back and forth they go- costumes, food, setting, make-up (of all the things), and accessories. The more that you listen you feel as if you are overhearing the schedule for a play then a club event. The more they get into their conversation you feel as if your magical powers of invisibleness have activated.

As they talk you wonder if there is still a way to escape. You plan out situations in your head as you walk. Maybe if you happen to reach a corner, and by walked very slowly, they would end up ahead of you making an opening. Or maybe they will naturally just walk off with out you. You plan out more strategies in your head, but your hopes are soon crushed when Tamaki includes you in.

"Oh, Miss Menmonta, is there a certain treat that you might like?" he asks.

"You can just call me Yuko." You reply.

Tamaki apparently wasn't expecting that as he turns to look as you, and Kyouya does the same.

"If that is what you wish, Prince-"

"Please, just Yuko. I don't need the flattery." you cut him off.

"Yuko then," He smiles. "Is there any sort of snack or treat that you like?"

"I don't care. If you have snacks I will probably eat them. I'm not picky in the least." Hopefully giving them nothing to symbolize as yours will make it easier for them to forget you.

"There must be something that you favor," Kyouya in puts. _Well, darn._

"Fine," you sigh, giving in. "I like mint."

"Then we will be sure to have mint available," Tamaki smiles. That would just be dandy.

You finally make it to the club room. You had always found it rather peculiar that it was a music room. Kyouya happen to be walking ahead a little so he was able to open the door for you. You thank him and step into the room. At first there seems to be a brilliant light coming from the inside that makes you stop and blink for a few seconds, but it soon passes and you are able to continue walking before Tamaki or Kyouya can ask if there is anything wrong.

The room looks like you remembered it to be, coffee table and all. The other hosts are already in the room and looked over at you excitedly.  
>"Yuko-chan! You came!" Hunny cries out as he runs towards you and clings to your waist. You can't help but smile at the cute little boy and you pat him on the head.<p>

"Of course I came. There didn't seem any way that I could get out of it." You smile back.

"We're all very glad that you came," Haruhi says.

"Yeah, we were prepare to search for you if you got lost!" The twins say simultaneously. You smile at all of them as you realize exactly how hopeless your endeavor to avoid the appearance was.

"Well we ought to be getting ready," Tamaki calls, and everyone starts setting up.

"You can find a place to sit if you want," Kyouya says while looking over at you from the top of his black book.

You are grateful that their attention is preoccupied as you find a place to sit. You take out a book that you had recently started and engage yourself with the pages. You ignore everything as you read, and don't even notice when the girls start coming in. After some time you wonder if you will avoid the socializing by default.

"Yuko, why dont' you come over here!" Tamaki calls to you. _Or not._

You pick up all of your things and relocate yourself to a corner of a couch near Tamaki. Once situating yourself, you let the conversations continue without saying anything. You take out your book again and read.

Suddenly one of the girls squeal, making you look up. Tamaki is leaning over the girl, holding her head.

"Your beauty is like the first blooms of the cherry blossoms in spring," he smolders.

You drop your book and your jaw slacks. You feel your glasses loose their place on your nose, and everyone looks over at you when your book hits the floor.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Tamaki looks over at you while still holding the girls head, apparently he had forgotten your request.

"Yep," you state and pick up your book. You reposition your glasses and try to act natural, but everyone continues to stare. Suddenly you remember a way to break the awkwardness and remind Tamaki of his promise of mint sweets.

"Of course, I'll go get you some. Would you like some tea too?" He says while getting up to get the tray of treats.

"Yes, that would be lovely." You say quickly.

Once you have your food you try to push yourself further into the couch. Maybe you should stop hoping by now but, maybe the girl just need some very personal and up-close complement, and nothing weird will happen again.

"_Please let this go by smoothly_," You think, you hope.


	7. The Tea-Party Part 2

You stayed where you were, in the corner of that couch, for some time. You couldn't read your book because Tamaki soon found that you wouldn't willingly join in on their conversations. The things that these...Children!...talked about! Dancing, social affairs, favorite vacation spots, teas, cakes, personal likes and dislikes, books (rarely, but it did show up), homework, fads, celebrates! It was like a teenage version of the Enlightenment Salons.

You wouldn't have even minded the conversations had they not been riddled with flirtatious outbursts from the hosts. But now you were forced to participate however, you wouldn't let Tamaki get so close to you. Every time that he tried to reach out toward you, you would pull back. He must have finally realized that you were not comfortable with physical touch because he stopped reaching toward you.  
>You finished your cake and sipped your tea. At least the food was good.<p>

"No, I don't really watch that much T.V," you reply to a question about some modern soap-opera.

"Oh, well you should watch this show. It is SO good," one of the girls says with enthusiasm.

You smile, but say nothing, and tried to pull out of the conversations. It wasn't until now that you fully understood why you didn't socialize more- because most of the things that people talked about are pointless. At least in the 18th c. Salons they discussed political and social reforms, things that would make a difference in their world.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Tamaki suddenly exclaimed. He turned toward you, and you start preparing an answer to not liking T.V...again.  
>"Miss Yuko-" you sighed (Once again with the miss)<p>

"You are an artist, right?" _No, I'm not. You walked into somebody_ _else's art room that just happen to be in my house the other day._

"Yes. I'm not that great, but I can do some styles fairly well," you say instead.

"I'd say your much better then fair. Your pieces are just as beautiful as you are."

_That can be taken as a compliment or an insult, depending. _

"Well thank you," you force though your teeth. You really don't like flattery.

"You must be very good at designing, so the other hosts and I were wondering if you would help us set up for a Renaissance-style cosplay that we are going to be doing."

"Oh." You think for a moment. The pro's and con's of this participation are relatively equal on both sides...

"I think I might be able to give you some referrals," you answer. That seemed to be the best reply you could give.  
>Suddenly Kyouya, from over-hearing, comes over.<p>

"Miss Yuko, it would be lovely if you could. Would you like to come here tomorrow in the morning for the hosts meeting so you can hear out the plans?" He whispers to you so none of the other girls would get jealous.

He seemed to be your greatest adversary. He was really cunning about involving you.

"Of course, what time is the meeting?" you comply.

He gives you the necessary information then thanks you and goes off, back to his own guests or duties you suppose.

While you were momentarily able to avoid conversation you look around at the other hosts. Hunny is rolling around some girl's lap, with a half eaten cake on the table. Mori sits across from him and listens to one of the more talkative girls. Haruhi is pleasantly conversing with three girls, them just looking like some friends at a cafe. When you finally find the twins you seem to have looked over at the wrong time because they are holding each other like how Tamaki held the girls. They happen to look over at you, then they smiled. You turn red and quickly look away. That was the most...you didn't even have words to describe the uncomfortableness of it. You shake your head then go back to the conversations with Tamaki's group.

You hear the door open, but just guess that it is another late guest. The club had only been going on for about 45 minutes.

"What are you doing here?"

You turn around and see Mim and Shima. They are both gasping at you with disgusted and horrified looks.

"Hello Princesses!" Tamaki calls. He doesn't seem to notice their faces.

Shima turned sweet and looked over at Tamaki.

"Could we borrow our cousin for a moment? We just have some family matters to discuss."

"Of course," Tamaki says innocently, but you know a storm is coming.

"We will just be a moment," Mim giggles.

You stand up and go quietly out the door, you had gotten storms like this before so you knew the best way to though them: wait them out then forget it ever happened.

Once outside the door Shima turns on you.

"_What _do you think you are doing?" She asks crossly.

You had planned to stay quiet and let her just word vomit on you, but her tone puts you off. You never wanted to come here, you never even wanted them in your house.

"I _think_," you say with the same tone, "that I am having a pleasant social gathering with people who _invited _me."

Mim gasps and clasps her hands over her mouth. She had always been the submissive one of the two, being two years younger.

"How dare you?!" Shima hisses.

"Did I do something daring?" You answer sarcastically.

You had never defened yourself before, but from the arguments you had had in your mind you knew you could. Fortunately for you, Shima was being predictable with her answers. You continue before she can say anything.

"I wanted to stay inside my bubble and forget them. I wanted go be left alone. But _SOMEONE_ let them into my house and into my art room.

They insisted that I come and gave me no way to avoid them. So you know what Shima? You are just going to have to. Suck. It. Up."

You glare at her for a moment. She doesn't say anything. Then you walk back into the host club.

"Is there something wrong?" Tamaki asks with concern, the other hosts also peaked over at you.

"Nope, just family business." You say with honest pleasure.

Shima and Mim came in then and sat by Tamaki. You might have won the battle, but you didn't want to talk to them, so you excused yourself over to Kyouya.

You talk with him about the next days plans, insisting that you needed as much time as possible to prepare ideas.  
>The day goes on and all is silent.<p>

When you get home you are in a good mood, still smiling over you last comment to feel like you want to paint your victory and go to your art room.

You open the door. When you look up from the nob into the room, there is red paint all over the walls and _all _of your pictures have been smashed. The once beautiful mermaid is now covered in cracks and red.


	8. The Outburst

Everything was ruined. Not only the pictures, but you had also made ceramic and other types of medium sculptures, all of which were ruined. Your mind had been massacred. You are unable to think, unable to breathe!- and you collapse to the cold marble flooring, tears silently streaming down your face.  
>*<em>Click Click* <em>The sound echos around the empty hallway, but you don't turn. All you can do is shake. There is a soft hand on your shoulder then, a head appears in your peripheral vision. The dark brown hair bounces over your shoulder and the red lips part to mock.  
>"When you live under the house of a benefactor, it would do you well to remember <em>who<em> pays for your luxuries. It also wouldn't hurt to keep things that you hold dear in a better hiding spot then behind an unlocked door."  
>You sob.<br>"Oh, please Yuko. They are just paintings, or whatever the rest was. You can always make them again. Suck it up." Then she left. You sob and choke.  
>After what seems like hours of just staring you are able to crawl over to the middle of your room. You take the mermaid painting and cuddle it, then you fall asleep.<p>

_

You wake up and you're cold. There is no more feeling but a slight pressure. Your glasses are lying on the floor some feet away and your arms have marks on them from holding the canvas. _"You can always make them again,"_ reverberates over and over. "Make them again," you mumble. Then with a sudden burst of energy you stand and start searching frantically for everything you can after picking up your glasses.

No! The canvases are destroyed. The brushes are broken, and the paints have been emptied. She left you with nothing.

Again! You'll have to get them again. You lay down your canvas and hurry to your room. The time says it's 10 A.M., perfect. You might still be able to catch your uncle. You quickly wash you hair and get dressed in something casual. Running out of your cave, you make a quick list of what you need. The paints! Where did you get those paints?! You burst through the door of the main house, all of the servants jump in surprise to see you on this side of the yard and stare.

"Where is my uncle?" you ask desperately.

A frightened servant directs you to where he is. When you find him, he seems surprised that you are not in school.

"Yuko? What are you still doing here?"

"Uncle Iwao, please, I've run out of art supplies. May I please go into town and get some?" you gasp and bow.

"Oh, um. Of course, but what about school?" He is so surprised that he hasn't even scolded you for talking about missing school.  
>"There's no time! I have to get this done," you say desperately.<p>

"S-Sure," he stutters. Then he called for the butler.

"Please take Yuko...where ever it is she wants to go, she can buy whatever she wants," he tells the servant, then leaves quickly still in a confused state. The butlers name...what was it? Hero Otina? something like that.  
>"Come on," you implore him.<p>

He takes you to all the places that you had wanted and then some. You search frantically for all of the needed supplies, not getting distracted by a single thing. You remember your mission and stay stuck on it. After Mr. Otina buys the things and takes you home, you thank him and run to your house will all of your supplies.

Your rip open every package, every box, and lay the new canvas out on the damaged isle. Then you paint, you paint, and you paint. You don't stop, you don't breathe, you just paint. This must be perfect or else your world will shatter . And when you pull back you see...imperfection. _This is not right!_ The same expression, the same movements and flow are gone!

Frustrated you throw all of the paints at the canvas and bury your face into your hands screaming.

*_Click Click*_ No! NOT AGAIN! This was literally the third strike. You take the paint brushes and throw them at the door.

You closed your eyes and screamed when you had done so, so when you open your eyes...seven pairs look back at you and the remains of the room. The paint brushes had been caught by Mori, who still held them, and some paint had been splattered over Tamaki, Kyouya, Hunny, and Mori- who had the most. You stare at them, and they stare at you. All of your anger hand't come out with the brushes. It was _Their fault!_ If they had let you be...

This was your price for visibility.

"Why?" you sob to them. They don't reply.

"WHY?!" you scream.

"WHY COULDN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?! If you didn't...she wouldn't have..." you choke. You stand up to go push them out of the room, but fall to your knees half way there. They all run over to you, but you hit the ground before they get there. The numbness that had given way to anger now turned to pain, and you tried to suck back in the tears. You curl in on yourself and just want to be left alone.

Yellow hair pushes its way under your arms, like a child, and you look up. Hunny looks at you with tears in his eyes, then snuggles his head against your chest.

"It's all right Yuko-chan, you can cry," he tells you. You sniff then bury your face into his hair and curl yourself around him.


	9. The Aftermath

You wake up. You're in your bed, maybe...?! You sit up and put on your glasses, then look down at yourself. No, it was real, you are wearing the same cloths and you have paint on your hands. Then you notice an incoherent conversation coming from across the hallway. You suppose you must have just passed out after crying so hard, then they had been nice enough to put you into your bed after throwing your paint brushes at them and having a tantrum.

The anger you had toward them had diminished into guilt, it wasn't their fault that your art room was destroyed as it was your comment that had set Shima off. The pain was back to being numb pressure. When you had looked over at the mirror in the bathroom after getting up to clean your face, the reflection was dead. On you way out of the bedroom you looked over at the clock and it said 6 P. M., you suppose that you hand't slept that long- only about half an hour or so.

You walk meekly out into the hallway, and you dread having to explain the shambled remains of the art room to them. OR, maybe you don't have to explain at all. Maybe you could say you had a mental breakdown when you got home because you were...crazy. yeah crazy. These boys would drop you flat if you were crazy.

"Yuko-Chan, what are you doing up?" Hunny said peaking his head out of the art room. Mori came out too, as he was following Hunny.

"Well I woke up and heard you guys in my studio," you reply. _Lets leave it at that for now. _

Hunny gets a concerned look on his face then runs up to you. He takes you hand and tries to lead you back to your room.  
>"You shouldn't be up yet, not after that," he says sternly.<p>

You sigh. That was always one of the things you had found annoying about Japanese culture. You pull back against Hunny's insisting hand.  
>"I had a mental breakdown, not lung cancer," you say rolling your eyes. "I'm fine."<p>

"No, you're not."

You look startled over at Mori. That was the first time he had actually talked. He looks at you with the same black facial expression, but his eyes look angry. Not at you, when looking at you there are full of hurt, but at something else. The situation maybe? Well it doesn't matter because his harsh eyes make you intimidated, and you almost give over to Hunny's tug.

With a great amount of courage you put aside that feeling and push onward with determination.

"Well I might not be alright with the situation but I can't hide in my room and let all of you trample around my studio," you state and pull Hunny back toward the art room. You look down at him so he may understand from your eyes. He nods, giving in, and still holds your hand into the room.

Mori follows soon after you and Hunny walk into the room The others were all about the room, looking at certain artworks, and to your great astonishment they are trying to put some of the pieces back together, or are trying to clean them up. They were able to rescue a couple of ceramic sculptures, even though they were chipped in the places where the ceramic had been broken into too many pieces. And even some of the artwork, be it very few indeed, that still maintained the critical themes. In all, out of the hundreds of thing you had made, about ten to fifteen pieces were so far salvageable.

Each of the hosts were furious, although Tamaki might be the most of them all. When you walked into the room they saw you come in and stopped their frantic work of rescue.

You smile hopelessly. "What are all of you doing?"

Haruhi speaks up first. "We are trying to fix this. IT's Terrible! If this was done to you because of us..."

"Who did do this?" calls one of the twins. His look was so angry, his fists shook and his head dropped low. The other twin just looked melancholy and patted the first on the arm. This is maybe the first time that you can distinguish the difference between the two.

"Yes, who did do this. If they did vandalize your house because we invited you to the club we have to talk to them,"Kyouya says cruelly. He was terrifying.  
>You lower your head. "I appreciate what you are doing, but there is nothing that can be down about the person."<p>

"Yuko," Tamaki says softly, but sternly. "Who did this?"

You sigh. You wave them all out to the front room where you can talk with more ease. Luckily they follow and march out of the room in an angry procession. You sit on the couch, and Hunny sits with you- he has still yet to let go of your hand. The others stand around the couch and wait for an explanation. You collect your thought then swallow.

"What would you do if you did meet the person who destroyed my artworks?" you ask quietly.

We would make them pay for the damages," says a twin. His voice was slightly higher then what it had sounded like in the art room; then you realize it's because this must be the twin that had stayed quiet.

You shake your head. "There is no point in that. The artwork is ruined, and I can't remake them. When you walked in on me that's what I had been trying to do."

"There must be some way to make this better," Hunny whined. You hug him gently.

"If they can't replay the artwork you need to notify you uncle of what happened," says Kyouya. You shake your head.

"Was this your cousins?" Haruhi asks.

"If you're afraid of them-" Tamaki starts but you cut him off.

"No, I'm not afraid of them. It's just, it wouldn't make a difference."

"It's wrong," says Mori, and you almost smile at the simplicity of the fragment.

"Yeah it is, but it's my word against theirs. And I don't know if you've noticed, but my word has never been highly thought of."

"It's not right!" Tamaki says stubbornly, but no one makes a counter to your argument.

"How are you going to explain the mess to your uncle?" Kyouya asks.

"I'm going to tell him the truth; it was vandalism from someone who obviously doesn't like me very much."

"That's an understatement," the twin with the lower voice mumbles.

You shrug. They all stay silent as the wonder what to do, but you have another question to ask.

"Why did you all come here again?" Kyouya looks up.

"You weren't at the meeting this morning, then you weren't in class so we came to see if you were alright." Ah, so once again it was a problem with agreements.

"Well thanks, I guess," you shrug. Hunny buries his head in his into your arm and whispers "You're welcome", and you smile down at his cuteness and pat his head.

"Wait, there is a way to make this better!" cries out the first twin. You should really get to know their names so you don't have to keep saying twin one or twin two in your head...

The others, including you, stare at him as he seems to go over his plan in his head. Then he snaps his fingers. "Yeah, it won't be perfect. But it might..." The other twin stares into his face for a moment, then a smile spreads over his own face. Did he see something that you couldn't ? The twins look at each other then nod their head in confirmation.

"Come on guys!" They call in unison. The others look confused, but the twins insist. "Come on! We'll tell you on the way."

Hunny let's go of your hand and follows the others out of your house. What are you suppose to do now? Then a twin runs back in, and when he speaks you realize it's the second twin. "Have a good night Yuko. Come to the club tomorrow at three okay?!"

"S-sure," you stutter. What on earth are they doing?


	10. A New Type of Painting

Now what were you suppose to do? You couldn't go back to sleep, it was only about dinner time. Oh, food. You suppose you haven't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. So you go to your kitchen and make yourself something. Because you apparently have all of the time in the world you make yourself something nice. Your favorite food. You take your time with the preparation and consumption of it. The taste is nice, but you are still thinking about what it is they are doing.

After getting done eating you notice you should probably go tell your uncle what happened, so you go into the main house.

The walk takes forever as you have to come up with a good reason as to why you didn't tell him about this yesterday. You sigh and just stick with what you had told Kyouya: the truth. You didn't care if you got in trouble for it. Once inside you call for your uncle. You go inside of his office when he calls and sit on one of the two chairs in front of his large main desk.

Once he straightens and files some paper work that has nothing to do with you, he looks up at you. He is no longer surprised so you can tell he is ready to now scold you for this morning.

"Yuko, what was that this morning?" he asks you.

"I'm sorry Uncle Iwao, I was in a hurry to fix something, but when I got back it didn't matter," you say professionally.

"Well, I talked to the school and they gave me the homework that you missed this morning. This better not happen young lady. What did happen that you not only skipped school for, but that you also ran all over the city?"

"Well, when I go home yesterday after school I went into my house and found that someone had broken into my art room. They vandalized the entire room and destroyed most of my artwork," you state without emotion, as if you are giving a report in school.

You Uncle doesn't take it like a a report though.

"What?!" he nearly jumped out of his seat, but did lean forward. "Why didn't you tell me about this immediately?" he scolds.

"I was in such a state of shock that I ended up passing out. Then this morning when I woke up I panicked and didn't even think about getting the person who had done it, instead I was worried about being able to save my artwork," you once again state without emotion. You uncle looks away for a moment and grumbles something about irresponsibility and mother resemblance, but you ignore it and continue to just look at his forehead- you learned that by not looking at him in the eyes, but the forehead, made it seem like you were looking at him in eyes, as well as making it more comfortable for you to have long conversations with him.

Finally you uncle ends his digression and comes back to the problem at hand.

"Do you know who did it?" he takes out a note pad and starts writing information down.

"Someone who doesn't like me," you shrug.

"That's not very helpful Yuko," he says annoyed, but you only shake your head.

"That is the only thing I can think to say," you reply.

"Fine, I suppose that you wouldn't know. It's not like they would just happen to write their name on the wall," he seems to be talking more to himself then to you. After writing more information on the note pad he sighs heavily, leans back in his chair, and rubs his eyes.

"Yuko, I thought I told you when you moved out there that you had to lock the door," he says.

"I always lock the door," you almost state harshly, "Someone must have picked the lock."

He looks over at you, "Don't get that tone with me." You apologize.

"Alright, I'll have someone go in and look at your house. For now I think you should pack a bag and stay in one of the guest bedrooms until we fix the room. You didn't happen to move anything in there did you?"

You wince. _Crap._

"Um...actually I did. I tried to fix some of the paintings like I said. Also, some...friends...from school came over to see if I was okay because I didn't show up at school and tried to comfort me by helping."

"Yuko," he sighs and again rubs his eyes.

"I'm sorry, like I said, I was discombobulate," you whisper.

"It's alright, if the police find anything out of the ordinary I'll have them eliminate your friends as suspects," then he turned away looking troubled.  
>"Is there anything wrong," you ask.<p>

"How did this person get pass the front gate?" he mumbles. Hopefully he will just find out for himself. You shrug, thank him, then leave to go pack.

The next morning a maid woke you up, as your uncle insisted that you do everything like a normal girl in your statues this morning.

You ate breakfast with your cousins and uncle, and got to watch with pleasure as Shima squirmed when Uncle Iwao talked about how much trouble the person who trashed your room was going to be in when he found them. When you walked out of the door with you cousins and into the car, Shima waved off her father then shut the connection between the driver and the passenger side.

"You told father?!" she asks irritated. Mim scowled at you. For once, could that girl do anything with her own mind?

"Of course I told him, you don't think that I was just going to keep the room like that do you?" you ask her. She squirms again.

"Did you tell him?" she asks.

"Shima, use your brain. If I had told him, don't you think that he would have asked you? After all, you did damage about almost 100,000 yen of property," you tell her.

"Shut up, Yuko. Remember what I said to you about benefactors," she sneers at you, and you shrug with a smile.

"Yes I remember that very clearly," suddenly an idea comes to your mind. It's the perfect way to have your revenge against Shima, and Mim. Well, maybe not Mim so much, but she didn't do anything against Shima.

"You know Shima, the host club came by yesterday to check up on me. They guessed that you trashed my room," You smile pleasantly. She turns pale. Then you leave it at that.

The rest of the ride to school is enjoyable as you got Shima and Mim to shut up.

When you see Tamaki and Kyouya in class they smile at you knowingly, which makes you even more anxious for this afternoon. All day the secrets of whatever it is that is suppose to make you feel better makes you almost bounce in your seat through class. Finally the bell rings and you make your way to the club room when Kyouya comes up to you.

"Yuko, not yet, they aren't ready," he tells you. You tilt your head in a confused state.

"What am I suppose to do then?' you ask.

"We were still planning on having the cosplay. I could go over the preparations and themes that we wanted to talk with you about," he smiles.

"Oh, yeah, I guess we can do that," you answer a little disappointed. He takes you to the library where you go over the several elements of the cosplay. Much to your surprise there is much more then simple decorations that they had wanted. Even though you had gone over what they wanted in their theme with him two days ago, you hadn't asked how they wanted it decorated. Well, you were also not planning to stay that long in their life. The amount of detail that they wanted was actually quite impressive. You go over what type of colors and displays would be appropriated. Strangely you start feeling almost a kinship to Kyouya as he is very technical and respects your bond to the original themes. When you were done talking, or at least when he got a call on his cell phone that the hosts were done, you both got up to leave.

"I'm actually very surprised Yuko. I wasn't expecting you to be able to give this much information. Your eye for originality in impressive," he smiles with sincerity. "When we have cosplays again I'll be sure to consult you."

"Thank you," you smile shyly.

He walks with you to the club room. Then an idea comes to your mind.

"Hey, don't you guys have guests today?" you suddenly realize.

"No, we canceled activity for today as we were worried about you." he states, but you feel like he actually means it when he says "we".

When you get to the club room door, he opens the door for you like the first time. When the bright light and flower petals fly at you, you hear "Welcome" with the unison of all of the hosts, minus Kyouya. You step into the room and you see what it is they had done for you.

There were pictures all over the room. Painting and drawings. They seemed to be recreations of all of your original pictures, except very poorly redone. What you suppose to be the mermaid picture looks more like a seal on a boat. When you look around at all of the pictures you can't help but laugh and smile.  
>One of the twins came up and spoke. "Well, I know it's not the same as your drawings, but we thought if you couldn't remake the pictures, we would for you." His voice was heavier, so you knew that it was Hikaru- Kyouya had gone over the twin's names.<p>

Haruhi then walked up and looked at you with concern. "I know this was kinda stupid, but do you like it? If you want to you can make more paintings for the club, or keep your painting here in the room."

"No, this is...lovely," you laugh. The artwork might be horrible, but the amount of trouble that it took them showed how much they cared. And you could see the amount of soul that they had put each bit of the paintings and drawings. That alone made their works seem so much more, or even equal to, your own.

(For all of you Twin fans out there, I have already gotten a comment about how Hikaru had the "higher voice". Just to clear this up: Hikaru sounds heavier than Kouru to me. I'm sorry if that is not the way you hear them, but I describe things as I perceive them.)


	11. Preparations

Alright, you admit it, you became acquaintances of the host club. After their attempt to remake your pictures you felt your heart involuntarily open toward them. You wouldn't say you were anything close to a friend, but you knew enough about them- they were after all supposed to be stereotypical for their "types'- to be at least comfortable around them. You could tell what they liked, which helped you order their costumes and decorate their sections.

Yes, Kyouya had made good on that promise. Every time there was a cosplay, which they actually did a lot of, he consulted you. You even decorated and helped the hosts set up before school. Many times they tried to get you to participate in the actual club, but you were still scared from you first visit. You are quite content with your behind-the-scenes action.

Some time around the beginning of November, Tamaki called an "emergency" host meeting to which you had to attend. When you walked in the host club doors you are very happy that they didn't have their bright lights and rose petals harassing your face. Even as their head decorator and cosplay researching consultant- Tamaki had come up with that name, but you shortened it down to head decorator- you didn't know where those came from. No matter where you tried to look you find that your quest never succeeded. When you looked around this time it was just the hosts talking around a table.

"Yuko-Chan!" Hunny waves you over to a seat near himself and Mori.

"Oh good, Yuko, you are just in time," Haruhi smiles.

"Well thank you for waiting for me anyway," you smile back. Tamaki and the twins go ga-ga over Haruhi's smile and you can see them trying to hold themselves back from hugging and twirling her.

Yes, that's right, "her". Of course you had found out, not that you didn't guess it from that moment in your house, but when the boys are constantly asking you to decorate girlish costumes for Haruhi you either have to be extremely stupid like their guests, or just Tamaki. When you finally acknowledged to them that you knew Haruhi was a girl they had told you about her debt. At least you knew why she put up with them.

You take your place next to Hunny and the meeting begins. Tamaki first starts by addressing you with a question that surprises you.

"Yuko, you are American right?"

"Yes, I was born in America," you answer.

"How would you feel about doing an American holiday theme?!" he asks getting a very excited and wide smile on his face.

"What do you mean?" you ask, then you pull out a note pad to start scribbling ideas.

"We thought that we would do a Thanksgiving cosplay on the fourth Thursday this month."

Ah! Thanksgiving, you remember that fairly well. It was a time when you parents cooked and the family got together...family...parents...

you shake your head. "You don't need to do that. I was born in America, but I am a Japanese citizen now."

Tamaki looks a little sad so you sigh. This is what happens most of the time, you have to compromise.

"The American Thanksgiving is really a harvest fest where the people celebrate the changing of the season, ripening of crops, or the first American feast. You can do a harvest ball."

Tamaki brightens up at this idea, Kyouya writes down something in his black book, and everyone else gets chatty about the event.

The time of the Harvest Ball.

Great, another surprise. It was also Kyouya's birthday. Tamaki had really increased the pressure on you to get some preparations on _that_as well as the ball. As head decorator you had to find out where to get the best supplies while also keeping the price low, designing the event, and setting up. While the hosts also did pitch in with ideas, you mostly were left to do this on your own. Not only did you have to plan out the ball, but now you had to set up a birthday bash too? Thankfully the twins gave you an idea: skiing. You have never been skiing yourself and you doubt that Kyouya will enjoy it, but maybe it will give the other hosts a nice day to mess around in the snow that had come early this year.

You spend all of your free time trying to plan out two parties, and you feel the anxieties of close deadlines crushing around you. You order the treats, with an extra large order of "Fancy Tuna" for some reason, the decorations, the roses. At least Renga, the Lady Manager, could send the invitations. The colors were to be warm and reflect the color changes of the trees. Lots of reds, browns, oranges, some pinks, yellow, and dark greens. More cakes to order, and you also had to send out a notice to the hosts as to that type of suit to wear.

You are doing all of this while the host club in going on. You sit in a quiet and unused area of the club room. You hear all of the laughter and squeals, distracting you from your work. You try to block them out, but you can't help the occasional startled glace from a scream. Every time that happens you think someone just died.

Just as you think you might find a quieter place to stay, the twins come up to you.

"Hey Yuko," they say in together, "What are you going to be wearing?" You look irritatedly over at them.

"What am I going to be wearing for what?"

" The BALL!" they answer with impatience.

"I've told you guys before, I just decorate, I don't participate," you answer while still writing and ordering.

Tamaki over-hears you and leaves his guests to talk to you as well.

"Yuko! You have to go to the ball!" He whines.

"No," you answer defiantly.

"You might have to go anyways to help set up," Kyouya calls over to you. "You might as well stay."

Why did he always do this to you?! You can't fight him because he always came up with a reason for you to do what he wanted.

"Fine!" You shout back. I'll go." Then you go back to planning.


	12. The Harvest Ball

With some help of the twins you found a dress that you could be comfortable in as well as look nice. The Harvest Ball was set to be November 22, and apparently something that they do at every dance was reward some girl with an "honored dance" from one of the hosts. This time it was to be Kyouya because it was his birthday. You don't really care for dancing, after all you do trip over that same desk at least once a week. It doesn't matter though, because you won't be dancing. And that was final.  
>You went to school as per-usual, and even stayed after for the club. You had brought plenty of things to do while everyone was talking, such as homework, books, and even some art supplies. Cuddled in a corner of the room that had now been deemed as yours, you thought about what was to be done that night. They didn't have any guests today, but they were busy talking about other things. Once in a while you would shout something to them that they had forgotten, but you mostly stayed in your corner. A girl came in a few times, she looked like a "commoner" and appeared to be doing random chores for the host club. You look at her curiously, but you don't care enough to go talk to her. (To find out about this new girl see story/2369099/The-Story-of-An-Ouran-Girl/1/ )  
>More time goes by, the more you wait. Then Kyouya comes up to you and seems irritated.<br>"Yuko, do you know how you want everything set for tonight?" he seems in a hurry.  
>"Yes, I also brought everything that we'll need. Once you guys are ready I'll head down to the ball room and start decorating," you say nonchalantly.<br>"Good," he huffs.  
>You tilt your head and look at him.<br>"Is there something wrong?" you ask. He looks at you, almost with a glare, then sighs.  
>"Yes. I found out what you guys were planning to do for my birthday. I also found out how expensive it is going to be."<br>You hold up your hands and shake your head.  
>"Don't get all upset with me, they were the ones that insisted that I do it that way. I did try to keep everything within the budget, but they were very pushy," you say defensively.<br>He sighed again. "I guess I should be grateful that you actually remember that we have a budget. If I let any of them control the funds the host club would go under in a matter of seconds."  
>You stare at him for a moment then shrug. "You probably didn't mean that as a compliment, but I'm going to take it as one anyway. So, thank you."<br>He smirks somewhat, but then goes back to what he was doing.

Finally after what seems like forever, they are ready to leave. You gather up all of your things and head with them to the ball room. You had never been to the ball room. Even when the school itself had balls you never went. Parties, people, dancing, not your thing. You prefer the solitude. So when you enter the room you have no idea as to how big it is going to be. The room makes you gasp with the size of it, and you feel you stomach drop when you realize that you have to decorate _everything_. Why did they only give you a couple of hours to do this? Because Kyouya was too busy doing other things to concentrate on this, and Haruhi had to prepare her own schedule for the night. All of the other hosts didn't seem to grasp the concept of time...Well maybe Mori might, but he hardly said anything, so.  
>You sigh sadly and get to work. Fortunately all of the decorations were already there so all you had to do what put it together. You start in the upper most right hand corner of one of the many balconies and work your way to the stage where the hosts were suppose to greet everyone from. You pin, you tape, you staple, and continue to work. Once you have to balconies decorated it's time to move on the the...ceiling. Great.<br>You find a gigantic ladder and are thankful that you are not afraid of heights. Before getting of the ladder though you made sure to put up supports and extra ladders around it so if it starts tipping you can move to a different ladder. The room is then scattered with ladders as you also don't want to have to keep moving around the same ladder to keep decorating, having them all set up allows you to just move with pleasure. This is maybe the scariest part, as you have to let go of the ladder to set up the streamers and some tissue flowers ( like this . /_L-deInbQA9c/SiTJ87wcGiI/AAAAAAAABz0/uPUKI... but fall colors). Thankfully you don't die, and are able to start setting out the food. You wonder how to make this extravagant, but then decide that you don't want to do all of that work, so instead you just set out a nice table with a colorful table cloth and call the chiefs over to set up the food. When you look back to see how the masterpiece looks its...Not bad. You can live with this.  
>You have been decorating down to the very last minute, so when you look at the time you have just barely thirty minutes to get ready yourself before the guests arrive.<br>Rushing back to a room behind the main stage you get dressed. You don't care about make-up, but you did bring a curling iron. You curl your hair a little, then pull it all into a side ponytail and stick a blue flower in the knot. When you pull back to see yourself you are satisfied. Nodding to your reflection you head out to the ball room.

The party begins and you can see the movement of the hosts behind the curtain of the stage. When the curtain rises you see the girl from earlier up one the stage looking very exasperated. Kyouya takes the microphone in his hands and gives the opening speech. He says something about how it was Thanksgiving in America therefore he wanted to...Thank them all for being guests. Really? Tamaki must have wrote that. You sigh and clap anyway with the other screaming girls, then listen to Tamaki tell everyone about the dance gift at the end of the night. Once the announcement is done you shrug and find a nice place to sit and watch everyone dance. The hosts come out to dance, and you watch the girl from the stage start trying to serve some handheld food. You almost feel bad for her because at first everyone just scoffed at her, then at other times some of the girls would mob her. She finally gets to dance with Mori and you turn away.  
>"Hey! Yuko!"<br>You look over and see Kaoru coming toward you.  
><em>"<em>Yes?" you ask.  
>He smiles then looks around.<br>"You did great with the decorations! The music is about to start, do you want to dance with me?" He held out his hand.  
>"No," you say, cross your arms, and stare at his hand.<br>He smiles evilly and grabs for your hand anyway.  
>"Come on, don't be so...you," he says and you scoff at the comment. Hikaru came over too just as Kaoru was pulling you toward the dance floor and you try to push him toward his brother.<br>"If you want a dance partner, your brother is right there," you wiggle your hand out of his grasp and push him toward his brother. Hikaru looks at Kaoru then back at you, then he smiles. Oh great.  
>"Come on Yuko, we can bother dance with you!" and he takes your arm. Kaoru takes your other hand, and they both drag you onto the dance floor. You protest the entire time, but are unable to do anything as they toss you about. Finally the dance ends and you are relived. You hear someone screaming and look over at a boy and a girl having a fight. All of the hosts jump on this immediately and the girl server takes the girl with her backstage.<br>For some time the host club members don't rejoin the dancing, in fact they have disappeared. You don't care as you are sure that Hikaru and Kaoru would make you dance again. Then almost at the end of the dance the all come out again and they announce that the girl who had been fighting is the winner and gets to dance with Kyouya.  
>"<em>Good for her"<em> you think. The hosts watch Kyouya dance then they come down to join the dancing too. Then you see Hikaru and Kaoru coming toward you again. _Oh no!_  
>Then Haruhi comes up and takes your hand, and pulls you onto the dance floor. It's really awkward dancing with her, but at least she is more gentle with you then the twins were.<br>"Thanks," you whisper to her.  
>"I saw what they did the first time and thought you could use a hand," she smile back. The twins find new dance partners, and when they come dance near you they whisper "Next time" which makes you shiver.<br>Turning back to Haruhi you ask, "Who was the girl serving? I saw her at the host club as well."  
>"Oh, her name is Sakura, and for now she is the host clubs dog," she answers. She asks you if you want the details, but you reply that you don't care and will probably get the chance to talk to her some other time. For now the dancing continues and you pray that you can stop soon.<br>So ended, the Harvest Ball.

((I'm sorry about the "sakura" girl. When I revise the chapters I will be taking her out. She was just a joint story thing that I did with a friend. The story is no longer on Quotev, and I have parted ways from that story. Please don't be tearing me a part about this because I know.)


	13. The Birthday Bash Part 1

And so the Harvest Ball ended with a not altogether bad taste, but still you would have preferred not to have danced. Oh well, you win some you lose some. The only thing now was to execute the plan for Kyouya's birthday. He had tried to convince everyone that the final dance honor was sufficient for him, and you and Haruhi rather agreed with him, but still the other hosts wanted to go skiing. Haruhi had never gone skiing because she was, well, let's face it, poor; you hadn't gone either for the same reason that you didn't want to dance: you trip over the same desk a couple of times a month. All of the other hosts promised that skiing was _fun_ and that they would try to teach you how to snowboard or ski. You had always heard that snowboarding was the hardest as it takes a couple of times of landing on your face to get _the hang of it, _so of course you chose to try skiing. It would probably be the one thing that would cause the least amount of damage. Haruhi had told them that if she was to go undoubtedly she would be staying in the lodge; and you would try to as well but you doubted that the twins would let you or Haruhi get away with that. So the day after the Harvest Ball, or in other words that Friday, you would all be leaving to Shiga Kogen ski resort, that was near Nagano, on a Shikansen (for those of you that don't know it is a really fast train). By pulling some strings from your own uncle's company, and other hosts family companies, you were able to get first class seating. You would be returning Sunday, and just in time for school. Let the trip begin!

The guys all had fun on the train, and you and Haruhi had brought things to entertain you. The trip was nice and short-ish, so when you finally made it to the ski resort it was actually not too late to have a late dinner. Of course one of the hosts owned some sort of private home or resort around there so you each got your own rooms. You went to your bed and had a fairly nice sleep filled with nightmares of the twins pushing you down a snowy hill.

The next morning you all got up and had breakfast. Kyouya sat somewhere a couple of chairs down from you and wrote in his little black book things that only he would know of. The twins tormented Tamaki and Haruhi by either trying to smother Haruhi or by throwing things at Tamaki. Hunny and Mori ate there breakfast with delight, and Hunny talked to Mori about what he planned to do up on the mountain. You...sat there and ate your breakfast, not talking to anyone because you were reading.  
>Once breakfast was done you all got ready. The twins forced you and Haruhi into skis and out the door into the open cold snow air. You don't mind the snow or the cold, and think to yourself how nice the view of the mountain is. Maybe sometime later you could sketch something out. Then once again you feel tugging and you are ready to smack some smile off the twins only to see Hunny pulling at your coat. You feel guilty as you had almost smacked that cute little face, then you give over. If that kid was not as adorable as he was, you would be doing half of the things that you are. Each of you went up in pairs: the Twins (naturally), Tamaki and Haruhi, Mori and Hunny, and that left you with Kyouya. You sit there and swing your legs, and when you look over at Kyouya he, amazingly, has his black book.<p>

"Where on earth are you planning to keep that thing when you are skiing?" you ask incredulously. He just side-glaces at you then goes back to writing.

"I plan on putting it in my pocket," he says. _Oh, well..._

"I pray for your sake that it doesn't get soaked," you mumble back.

"What would you mean by that," he says snapping his book shut. You look over quickly to see where his secret hiding spot for it was, but somehow he had already hidden it.

"If that book were to be harmed in any way, I think you would have a melt down. Or at least get terrible revenge on the person who damaged it."

He smirks, then turns to look at the mountain side.

After getting to the top you realize what you didn't at the bottom: you had no way down besides to ski. When you look around to see if there is a chance of you just sledding down you find that it is you, Mori, Hunny, and the twins. Tamaki had already run off with Haruhi, and you could hear Haruhi's screams echoing down the mountain side, and Kyouya had taken off after he got off to the top. As you look down the hill you feel a little bit sick, but you try to take a deep breathe. Then you feel two heavy weights on your shoulders and head.

"What's the matter Yuko?" asks Hikaru.

"Are you scared?" finishes Kaoru.

"This wouldn't happen to be your..weakness, would it?" they say in unison.

"If by weakness, you mean something that I happen to be frightened by, then yes I am absolutely petrified. I sorry that dying happens to be something I'm afraid of."

They scoff.

"Come on, it won't be that bad," Hikaru tells you while putting on his snow goggles. He starts to take off, then looks back for his brother.

"Just don't go too fast, and move in a zig-zag," Kaoru whispers to you before joining his brother. You are unsure whether that actualy helped.

You swallow, look over at the gondola lift. Maybe you could just catch a ride with that instead. Then you hear Hunny calling over to you, and he and Mori come to stop your retreat.

"Come on Yuko-Chan! It's real easy," he smiles. Mori grunts in reply.

"Well you've done this before!" you almost cry.

"Don't worry, Mori and I'll help you on the way down," Hunny whispers and winks at you.

"Yeah," Mori continues.

Alright, maybe if you could figure out how to do this really slowly, Mori would be able to catch you before you broke something.

You look up and pray to whatever deity would take your prayer, then you look back at the slope.

You sigh, then put on your snow goggles.

"Geronimo."

(Sorry once again if any of the information is incorrect for you people who are actually Japanese or are just a really extreme Otaku. If there is something that can be fixed then people tell me so I can make it more accurate. I did do a little research for this, but I'm afraid that the internet can not give me everything. If it is one of those "It's possible, just not extremely likely" I think you will just have to get over that as this is the host club that we are talking about. Have a nice night/day/afternoon/whatever time of day you happen to be reading this.)


	14. The Birthday Bash Part 2

Thankfully Mori was really fast, or else you might have gone off the edge of the mountain. You would try to turn the tips of your toes together to stop yourself from going faster as you had always seen on T.V, but that only threw off your balance even more, then when you tried to turn your heals toward each other it almost made you do the splits. Flexibility was not one of your strong points. After multiple times of almost breaking your ankles you found that you could also use those stick things that that came with the skis to try to slow down. Those almost impaled you a few times because you would stick it hard into the ground, only for the stick to snap into your stomach. Finally after all that fuss you found to most sure way of slowing down: sitting. By squatting down and sitting, flaying your legs out like a five-year old, you would stop. True this made your skis get stuck in the ground and throw up snow, but it was better then breaking your ankles and stabbing yourself. Mori would try to help control your dysfunctional talent by pulling back on your jacket, lifting you off the ground, and other helpful ways to help you stop. At first you had found this annoying, but when he almost didn't get to you fast enough one time and you ran into the orange fence at the side of the skiing range, making the whole line of it fall down someways, you were really happy that he pulled you out just in time. Hunny was supportive the whole way down, and even praised you when you were able to go fifty meters with out falling. Several times you had seen the other hosts go down and back up the mountain, passing you, waving at you, trying to help you, but it didn't make a difference. It took you about half an hour to go down the small mountain hill once. When you finally got down you decided that you didn't want to go again, as can be expected. But Hunny convinced you to try one more time with tear filled eyes and much sniffled begs.

So it was, once more, that you would try. You rode back up to the top of the mountain with anxiety, almost having a breakdown on the way up, and when you slid off of your seat to the open mountain air you prayed that you could get down the mountain in better time. Thankfully it seemed that you were a very fast learner as it only took you twenty minutes to go down the hill and Mori only had to pick you up a few times. Each time that you went down the hill you got better, and after about five or six times of practice you were able to ski down by yourself with Haruhi, sometimes with the twins if they didn't throw snowballs at you along the way, and even once with Tamaki and Kyouya- Tamaki complimented you the entire time and even Kyouya admitted you had some skill. Mori and Hunny, after helping you, had gone off on their own for some time. Hunny was really fast on his snowboard, which was covered with pink bunnies, and enjoyed doing seemingly dangerous tricks. Mori did jumps with Hunny too, and almost gave you a heart attack when you happen to be underneath them during one of their higher jumps.  
>About three hours of skiing went by and you didn't even notice. Right at this moment you were having a nice conversation with Haruhi on the gondola ride. Besides the moments where Haruhi could express her true gender, you hardly were able to talk to her because she often had to stay in character, and Haruhi agreed that during those moments were probably not the best times for the intelligent conversations that you needed.<p>

"You know," she started after both of you had gotten off the subject of how ridiculous some of the host clubs plans were, "You've really opened up these past couple of months."

"How do you mean? I still think I'm as antisocial as I was before."

"You are able to talk with the guys now. Tamaki-sempai said that before you hardly participated in anything, even in class, and now look at you. You've conversed back and even tease the twins."

"Most of the time it's because I'm forced into a conversation by Hunny-sempai or Kyouya," you laugh.

"Oh believe me, Hunny-sempai, Hikaru, and Kaoru plot about how to get you involved when you aren't around.," she laughs back. Haruhi was probably the person you could consider to be most closely related to a friend, and you also saw why Kyouya told you to go to her for advice on things.

You went down the hill with Haruhi, who was still uncomfortable with skiing, and past by Tamaki on your way down. You and her wave to him, and he waves back with more grandeur then what was needed, all sparkles and rose petals. After you have passed him, you whisper over to Haruhi, when she is not concentrating on falling. "Do you think that Tamaki has an "Off" switch somewhere?" She looks at you, then over to Tamaki to see what you mean, then shakes her head.

"I think he acts like a host so often that he only knows to snap out of it when something serious is going on. Well, even then he sometimes does understand," then she shakes her head again and you laugh.

Once at the bottom of the hill with Haruhi, you meet up with the other hosts. It appears that they are all standing around waiting for you, Haruhi, and Tamaki. Tamaki was almost down when you reached the bottom and the twins made use of his moment of "tardiness".

"Hurry up My Lord!"- "Jeez you're slower then Yuko!" they taunt.

"Oi! I'm right here," you scold and glare over at them. They just smile maliciously. Tamaki tries to hurry, but not before they grab for Haruhi. "If you don't hurry"- "We're going to take Haruhi in for dinner" -" and take _both_ of the seats next to her!" This quickens Tamaki's pace considerably, and you watch as he seems to blaze past the last bit of the hill toward Hikaru and Kaoru and smack them.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY LITTLE GIRL!" he screams. You roll your eyes with Haruhi, and pull her our from the "King's" rage. Once he has finished yelling he goes back to his calm demeanor, and clears his throat.

"Besides, that's not fair to Yuko, she has done wonderfully for her first time."

"Thanks, but you really are keeping us from eating," you point out to him, and he drops down into one of his pouts because once again you blew off his flattery.

The twins laugh hysterically while walking into the lodge and the rest of you chit-chat. You find the place where your shoes are, then start walking over to where a couch is so you can replace your footwear. You can hear the ski boots thump across the tilted floor, and it isn't until now that you realize how heavy those boots are. It might be that, or your legs are just sore from the exercise. You shrug that off. Then when you pull your right leg up to move you forward and the world seems to spin for a moment. You hear the impact before you feel it, and when you hit the floor your elbow throbs form catching you. Your right arm slips from it's position and instead of letting your head fall, it moves instinctively to catch your head. Now your shoulder and your fingers hurt. At least your head was safe. You groan a little unconsciously and start to sit up. The others heard your fall and come rushing over to you.

"Oh my gosh Yuko are you alright!" Hunny quickly grabs for your look up and all of them are looking down at you in a circle.  
>"Ow!" you grumble, then start checking your arm. You feel some soreness on your hip and cover it with your non-damaged hand, then you look over at your elbow to see it red, but not scratched; and when you look to your hand your your fingertips are also red, but not broken. You feel a slight sting in the place where your hand had caught your head, so you touch the tender spot. You wince then pull your hand away, you must have accidentally scratched yourself. You groan again and huff out "I'm fine." You feel yourself get picked up bridal style and you instinctively clutch at their neck as you don't want to fall.<br>"Oi, put me down!" you yell at Tamaki, and try to push away but he ignores you.

"Kyouya, call a doctor," he demands, but Kyouya is already pulling out his cell phone. The twins set up the couch so you can lay there but you still protest. "I'm not bleeding, I'm not broken, and so help me Kyouya if you make through with that call I will break your phone!" Kyouya looks over at you and shuts his phone, but they all still gather around you. Tamaki was careful to place you gently as your side was still bruised. Once on the couch you sit up and move yourself to face forward.

"Why are all of you so overly dramatic. I fell, I was not shot!" you complain.

"What if you have a concussion? You do have a bruise on your head," Haruhi says.

"No that came from my hand catching my head. I fall often enough that my body naturally protects my head from injury," you reply back. They all still look at you with concern so you continue to soothe their nerves. _I'm the one that got hurt, and they freak out._

"I'm okay," you say slowly. "I'm bruised, but that does not equal dying. I'm not a peach, I have bones that are quiet hard and quiet sturdy."

"I think someone should take you back to your room," Tamaki says. "_I never asked you to think_" you almost say, but instead you come up with a better argument. "If you do that I won't get dinner," you whine. "Look I'll prove to you I'm fine," you say, then stand up. Your hip hurts from the pressure, but you ignore it as your stomachs well being is on the line. You twirl around and pose like a dancer would, with your hands in the air. They are unconvinced.

"Fine, if you aren't going to go with me to dinner, I'll go by myself." then you stomp toward the dining area. You had almost run over there to get them to follow, which they do, and they give in to your demands.

As you all eat dinner they constantly ask you if you are alright, to which you reply each time that you are fine. Besides these annoying comments dinner goes on with happy laughter from all. After dinner you walk back to your room, but Tamaki insisted that someone walk with you. Kyouya's room was closet to yours, not by much, but much closer then the others, so he walked you to your door.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" he asks again. You groan and slump back against your door frame. "Yes, I am positively, absolutely, one-hundred percent, fine!"

"You never can be too careful," he shrugs.

"Yes you can. It's call paranoia." He is silent and just watches you. The awkwardness spreads and you don't feel as if you can just walk into your room.

"Besides my clumsiness, did you have a good birthday?" you change the subject.

"Yes it was fine," he chuckles, then turns leaves before you can go further in depth. "Good night Yuko," he waves off to you.  
>"Good night," you call back, then you go to bed. Your sides hurts so much, but you just go straight to bed. The whole day of skiing caught up with you, and you fell into a deep sleep. Tomorrow you would be ridding the train back to Tokyo, so on that note, you felt that besides the dramatic scene, the birthday bash had gone fairly well.<p>

(And a good _enter time of day here_ to you all!)


	15. An Eye for an Eye

It had been a regular, uneventful day at your quiet little home. The winter break had begun, so there was no need for the host club, and, despite their pleas to see you over to break, you had refused to see them, saying that you needed a break from the glamorous life that they lead. You preferred your quaint little city, with it's backdrops of snow and smog, gently glistening from edge to edge, the delicate hum of cars, horns, people, and the like everywhere in the sleepless city, this town that had no need to acknowledge individuals except for the screens and posters that displayed models for products- but even those, most of the time, where not for the individual, but for the merchandise that it wished to sell. A place where a girl could be alone with her thoughts. This pleased you. This was the quiet life of an unknown artist. So the winter break seemed the holiday that every student needed after a dreadfully lengthy time of school days fallowing each other day after day with only a slight weekend to bear the burden off oppressed pupils. The first few days had passed quietly, and you could hear, even from your position of the back yard, your cousins roaming bored around the mansion. The clamor of the maids rushing to their mistresses aid was amusing and gave you more inspiration to paint.

The paint room, by now, had long since been restored. The only thing was that your uncle still hadn't found who had exactly destroyed it, not that you thought that he would. For a few weeks he had persisted with the police to find who had done it, but they had more important things to do then investigate the vandalize property of a rich brat. The case didn't even have any clues that they could find, or that they found relevant. The only fingerprints were from the host club, which you explained to be in accordance with their help. Apparently Shima and Mim were not as stupid as you thought they were, in fact, they had been very thorough. However it never bothered you, they had stayed away from you and the host club since the car ride. As it was you had very few conversations wish either of them. They didn't have a natural talent for conversation if it didn't include some sort of soap-opera gossip. Just as well for you though, because it's not like you enjoyed their company in the first place.

The picture that you were painting in the present moment was coming out to be one of your best, or maybe you were just bias because you were the artist. The more that you painted, the more you realized that you enjoyed creating this piece. To help block out the noise of any hindrance to your concentration you had placed in headbuds that were connected to an ipod, and you played many classics. The music ranged from soundtracks to slower lyrical ballads that didn't interrupt. The music was also blasting into your ear, but for some reason when you are concentrating and there is loud music playing the notice only helps create a sort of hypnosis that brings you further into your creative mind and locks out the actual music. Because of this you never heard the ringing at your door, nor did you hear the lock turn despite the lack of invitation, and the footsteps coming down the hallway. When the unknown intruder opened the door to the art studio they only stood there for some time watching you paint, never moving a muscle. In fact you never realized that they walked right up to your back, and upon reaching you, hovering their hand just inches from your shoulder in indecision. Their shadow never appeared because the light that you were using was hanging slightly to your left and in front of you, the exact opposite of which they stood. The person stood very awkwardly, and several times they thought of tapping your shoulder, or moving in such a way as to cast light, but they never gained the courage to do any of the things that would suddenly come to their head to attract your attention.

It was a good ten minutes that they stood behind you before you pulled back from the painting and took out the headphones, but you still only "noticed" them when you threw your hand back to pick up a cleaning cloth, and instead of a nice rugged towel your hand touched their arm. Screeching out in surprise you whipped around to see your visitor. She jumped back from you the moment that your unexpectedly fast reach touched her, and let out a shriek of her own. She almost fell back but caught herself on a stool. You glasses were slightly knocked off balance, and in your surprise you didn't recognize the panicked expression of Mim. True indeed, though, Mim did not look like herself. Her normal pouty and dependent spirit was changed into a human being. She clutched at her arm where you had touched her and her breathe came in gasps. You own breathes came in gasps for some moments, but you were able to recover quicker then she was. You rolled your head in frustration and used your hand to run up your face and head, moving your glasses into place and smooth back your hair in one gesture.

"Mim," you huff, "what the bloody good blazes..." You trail off. Mim regains her composure and scoffs at you.

"What are you looking at me like that for? You were the one who wouldn't open the stupid door!" she shouted. "I stood behind you forever trying to get your attention. What you couldn't turn down your headphones? You're already blind Yuko, do you need to be deaf too?"

"Hmm. You're right, I should get smarter doors," you glare back at her.

"Fine, if you're going to be all sassy with me, " she flip up her hand.

"You're the one who broke into my house!"

"Only because you didn't open the door!"

"Oh, I suppose that it doesn't matter that I couldn't hear you. I'm just suppose to know when her majesty comes outside my house, because it's something that I just long for."

Each comment was voiced louder and louder, like the two of you were competing.

"This is just so typical of you Yuko, you think everything is about you."

"So I suppose that it is always about you then?"

At this Mim puffs herself up like a peacock and starts to win the loudest voice contest.

"I didn't come here to argue with you! I- Oh! Why did I even come here?!" She turned around with exasperation, throwing both arms into the air. She started walking out, but you threw your paint brush at her.

"Oh no, you are not going to leave just yet. Not after breaking your way in here, coming into _THIS_ room, scaring me, and yelling at me."

There was paint on the brush, which splatted onto her back. You watched as her shoulder blades and neck contracted, then she slowly turned back toward you.

"This. Is. My. Favorite. Shirt." She says.

"Then I guess you'll either have to wash it or find a new favorite. Life is just full of tough choices, huh?"

She turned red, and almost looked ready to cry.

"Yuko! I came here for your help, not so you could throw stuff at me!"

"I tend to throw stuff at intruders...wait, you came here for what?" You voice lowered and lost it venom. This visit from Mim started to make the impression of quire as it should of in the first place. Mim turned her head, crossed her arms, and grunted.  
>"Come on Mim, what did you come here for? I'm not going to baby you," you scold her.<p>

"Not until you say sorry," she whined. Your face drops into unamusement, and you slump your shoulders and tilt your head at her.

Mim opened one of her eyes and, from the corner of it, saw your expression. She immediately shut her eye again.

"I mean it." she said irritatingly.

"Fine. I'm sorry." you throw at her, and she turned to face you like you were the child, putting her hands on her hips.  
>"Like you mean it,"<p>

"But I don't," you answer back tactless.

"Yuko!" she scolds.

"What?!" you reply. "Do you want me to lie to you?"

Her hands dropped from her hips and she finally gave in. "Sure, fine, whatever."

Then she dropped down onto the stool she had used to balance herself. You stare at her for a moment, raising your eyebrows, then she looked up at you from her stooped head and shoulders.

Her voice was soft and pleasing, not in an annoying way, but like someone sounding defeated.

"Yuko, I need your help. Father found out that Shima and I have been going to parties with some of the other kids from school in the city. And, I mean, bad ones."

" 'Kay?" You were unsure how this was suppose to be devastating, or even life threatening.

"I mean it Yuko, their were really bad. Shima even got drunk. She also tried some...stuff...But, Father found out. He's sending Shima to a boarding school, and he's transferring me to a different school around this area." Her head dropped down again and her long hair moved in front of her face.

"How is this suppose to be bad news?" you ask unsympathetically.

"Because...What am I suppose to do without Shima? In a new school?" She grabbed your sleeve. "Yuko, I've never been anywhere without Shima. She's always told me where to go, who to talk to, how to make friends...She's my sister."

You laugh gently. "You chose a really sucky person to role model." Mim sighs. "I know." Even though Mim was a brat, you could tell this was fairly painful for her. After all, how was she suppose to adjust to a completely different school without someone who had always been there to think for her? True, her unused brain should be worked out, but she didn't deserve to be thrown to the wolfs.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" you ask.

"I need you. To help me make some friends." She says shyly.

"Wow. You must really be desperate. You came to the girl with the least amount of friendship advice a person could give?" Mim only nodded, which really should be taken offensively, but you let it pass for now.

"Mim, what did you want me to do?" you ask again.

"I heard that there is this popular club at the other school. If I could make some friends, maybe I could manage being there by myself."

"Don't you have any friends at Ouran?" Mim stayed silent for a moment then answered in a whisper.

"No...They were Shima's friends. They didn't really like me and only let me be around them because I was Shima's sister." You pat her head.

"Hypothetically, if I were to help you, what would I get out of it?" you ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Well if you have a talent, never do it for free. So, what do I get out of it?" Mim tugged at your sleeve while she thought. Several times she mumbled things that you instantly shot down. Then she finally came up with an idea.

"I'll tell Father that it was shima and I that wrecked the room." _Wow, she really is desperate._

"Fine, an eye for an eye. If you tell your father, then I'll help you." Mim looked up hopefully and clutched your sleeve with both of her hands. "Really?!"

"Do you promise that you'll really tell him? Once you tell him, then I'll help." you answer reluctantly back. She nodded furiously, then you smiled. She jumped up around you and squeezed your neck.

"OH THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! TTTTHHHHAAANNNKKKKK YYYYOOOOUUUUU!" She screamed into your ear. You pulled back to prevent the deafness she accused your headphones of.

"You're Welcome...Now get off me!" You pushed at her still clinging face. She finally let go and twirled around the room and while still singing praises headed toward the door.

"I'm going to be starting at the school when the break is over," she sang.

"Great!," you call over. "What is the name of the school?"

"Lobelia," she stated with glee.

"The all-girls school? Why is uncle sending you there?"

"I told you," she said slowing her spins down, "Because Shima and I got into some trouble with some friends, and most of those friends were boys. Father thought that an all-girls school would keep me out of trouble."

"Alright fine. I'll come in to find you after school when we get back from the break. Make sure to take notes, and I mean good ones, as to what I can help you with and about this club."

"Okay~!" she continued to sing, but you doubt that she would actually take notes. Once she was gone you went put your headbuds back in and started cleaning up.


	16. Controntation

Two weeks had gone by since Mim had come by your house. No news, no information. The week before Mim and Shima had been sent to their respective new schools and you wondered exactly how well Mim would be doing. You didn't worry too much about Shima though, she was condescending enough to find some sort of followers where ever she went. Mim had begged you to see her off for some reason on her first day, like a child, so you had seen her very worried face peaking out the back window. You had also watched as her father stood beside you, watching his daughters with disappointed eyes. Maybe that was the reason Mim didn't' smile back to you, and Shima sneered out the back of the window. When they had gone your uncle shook his head.  
>"I thought they were better then this."<br>You made no comment. Why should you be the one to crush the dreams of his children? After he said this he turned to you.  
>"Yuko, I'm going to take you to school today. I have some early morning business that I have to take care of in the city, so I might as well take you so you don't have to walk in the cold."<br>"Oh, I'm fine. I ready to leave now, anyways. I always walk to school, so the cold doesn't bother me any more," you say. For some reason what you said seemed to upset him and he drew a deep breathe, which made his chest swell.  
>"I'm going to take you. Don't you leave yet, I'm almost ready too. I'll be right back," He said with authority. You raised your hands in submission and press your lips. Whatever floated his boat. However, you didn't know why he would all of a suddenly be offering you rides. After all, he never did.<br>You wait for him like he asked. When he came storming back out to the front drive he was flustered, not only from work but also from his own worries. A limo came around to front and you both climbed in. Sitting on opposite sides from each other, neither of you made conversation for some time. He took out his laptop and was typing furiously, and you were looking over homework to avoid the awkwardness of just staring out the window- you might as well make sure you did everything right the first time. While you shifted though the papers, checking on the math from the night before, you heard his typing stop. The only sound then came from you, so you looked up and saw him starring. As soon as your eye caught his, he shifted his gaze downward. You continues to look at him for some seconds over your papers. He blinked a few times at his screen then sighed and looked back at you.  
>"Yuko..." He stated awkwardly. Unsure whether he actually wanted to talk about something, or was just trying to make pleasant conversation you hummed a reply.<br>"Yuko," he started again. "How close are you to your cousins?" You raised your eyebrows and shifted your homework back the proper folders.  
>"What is your definition of close?" You reply.<br>"I mean, did you know who their friends where, what they liked to do, what they did in their free time." He seemed to have gained some confidence with his last question because now he is no longer awkward. You feel his analytical eyes searching you. Then you realize why he is asking.  
>"I knew some of the people they would talk to at school, what they did after school, but I'm afraid that I don't know what they like to do on the weekends." You make sure to say this as clearly as you can.<br>"And who were those people at school and after school activities?"  
>"Their friends where mostly people from Shima's homeroom class, or at least the really popular ones. If you ask her teacher, they will mostly likely be able to give you a list. As for the after school activities, I know that Shima played some sports and Mim would watch her or play in the lower league portion of that sport. You already know what they played. If they weren't doing sports then for sometime they would visit the Host Club."<br>"Host Club? What Host Club?" You uncle's attention suddenly peaked.  
>"The Host Club is the one that I'm Head Decorator for. They are really just a lounge for teenagers after school who don't have anything to do."<br>"Don't try to fool me Yuko, I know what a host club is," you uncle says defensively. Great, now you had to make a back-track on your statement before he got the wrong idea.  
>"Yes the boys cater to the girls, but they mostly just talk. If the girls get flirty then the boys will make some remark back, but other then that it really is mild. I've been there and they don't do anything...wrong," you say quickly. Then you remembered something and added it in before your uncle could say anything. "And they are the ones who came by to help me after my art studio was destroyed. Remember? The head of the host club is the son of the chairman."<br>"Suoh? Alright..." Then he trailed off. He didn't make conversation to you the rest of the ride.

_

Finally, after school , Mim came twirling into your studio.  
>"Yuko, I made it into the club!" She screeched.<br>"Yay," you said with less enthusiasm, twirling your finger. Mim didn't notice and continued on with telling you how she had made an impression the very first day. Apparently she had one of the leaders of the club in her class. The girl had talked with her a little, and after hearing how Mim had been "wronged" by those boys who took Shima and her partying, she invited Mim to try out for their club. Mim told you about her try out after school and how all of the leaders of the club agreed that Mim had a wonderful voice and could act. You didn't know these things, so you congratulated Mim.  
>"See you can make friends on your own," you say happily, thinking that you wouldn't be needed after all.<br>"Oh but I still need you!" She said reaching out to you and grabbing your arm. " They said that they really need a new set designer for their up coming play. If you can do this for me then I really will be in 'The Club'." You sighed and nodded.  
>"Alright then, when do they need me?" you ask.<br>"Some time after school the next few weeks."  
>"Great," you sighed.<p>

_

After school the next day you went to the host club room. Thinking nothing of what you had let yourself into you walked right in and called them all to attention. They gathered and waited for your news.  
>"Okay, so...You all probably don't know this but, Mim and Shima got transferred out of Ouran because they were doing stupid things. Anyways, Mim has been sent to a different school and wanted me to help her make friends so to help her get on the good side of a club she wanted to join I'm suppose to get the new set designer." You say this all very quickly and in a few breathes. You look at all of them, letting what you said sink in, then you continued. "For the next few weeks they need me to help design the sets, so I will be here less often to maybe not at all. This is just a notice so you all don't freak out." You say the last bit a knowing sigh.<br>"Oh" you hear Haruhi's surprise, "well that was nice of you. What school is she going to?"  
>"Lobelia," you say without even thinking. The hosts all shout out started "Lobelia!" and they all rush at you with questions. You squeak when Hunny jumps on you crying out that you can't go. Finally your shouts for silence are heard.<br>"Jeeze -Louise, you guy make it sound like I've made a deal with a demon. All I'm doing is set designing, what is the big deal?"

"Oh but this is a big deal," you hear from behind you, coming from the door to the host club. You turned around and saw a girl is a pink school uniform with short hair walking toward you. Mim and two others with the same uniforms come up from behind her. For some reason Mim looked very embarrassed. The host club members sucked in their breathes and hid behind couches, Haruhi especially. The girl with the short hair came forward and look at you.  
>"So they have captured another one I see." Then she turned to the others in the group. "Does their depravity know no bounds, that they would enslave another fair maiden?" She seemed angry but you had no idea why.<br>"Um," you say unintelligently. "Who are you?" You wave your finger around in a circle and point at them, all the while leaning back away from this girl who was slowly closing around your personal space.  
>"Don't worry dear, we have come to take you away from them! When our little Miss Mim told us who our savoir of a set designer was and who she was working for, we came right over here to emancipate you. " Then she took your head and cuddled it. Bewildered you look at Mim. She looked down at the ground when she saw you look over, and just shrugged.<br>With Mim not being very helpful, you pulled away from the girl pushing her out to the full length of your arms.  
>"Yyyeeeaahhhhhhh...Still didn't answer my question." Then you took a step back from her.<br>"We," she said with a dramatic swoop of her hand, "are the Zuka Club."  
>"I'm happy for you. What is a Zuka Club?" you say loosing your patience. Tamaki and the twins called out to you from over a couch.<br>"They are the crazy club we told you about!" cried the twins.  
>"The ones that tried to steal Haruhi!" Tamaki finished.<br>Oh...Oh no...No, no, no, no, no. You looked back over at Mim and this time she answered you in a whisper.  
>"I didn't realize that they disliked the Host Club!"<br>_"Great...thanks Mim,"_ You say to yourself. At the mention of Haruhi, the tall girl looked over to her and blew her a kiss. "Don't worry dear, we will still wait for you."  
>"Oh thanks," Haruhi huffed sarcastically.<br>"Anyways, we are here for you dear. Lets go!" She called and snapped her fingers. Then, just like that the other girls -minus Mim- came over and dragged you out from the host club room.


	17. The New Set Designer

They dragged you down and out of Ouran before you could even catch your breathe. You could hear the Host club all shout and try to scramble after you, but it was too late. Mim tried to soothe their fears, stating that you'd only be gone for a "few moments", and that they were just going to "borrow" you. You doubted that your feet even touched the marble flooring of the school before you found yourself crouched over in a limo with soft leather seating. Your glasses were knocked out of place, as usual, so as the Zuka Club hastily pushed you to the furthest ends of the limo the only thing you saw was a blur of pink. You felt the car lurch forward, and heard the gasps from the Zuka club and Mim. The Host club, somewhere outside, shouted after the car and tried in vain to pull at the door before it sped away with their head decorator.

Once the car was safely out of rage of the host club, the Zuka club members sat staring out of the back window, watching the Host club run after the car. They all pointed out their slowness in turns, and taunted them with waves and blown kisses before they finally turned back around laughing maliciously. Mim all the while- only just barely making it into the car- sat curled up on one side of the limo, legs tucked up under her skirt, hiding her head from your view. You decided that Mim's position was the best for your situation and curled up in your corner of the lush seats.

Why did every rich person have a limo? Why do rich people always have to be theatrical? Why do you always have to be forced into positions that you don't want!? Well...this was maybe something that you got yourself into. But Mim was suppose to tell Uncle first!

Whether nor not you should confront Mim now torn at your mind. _Yes. No. Yes...NO...YYYEEESSS!...no._

"Are you alright dear?"

You look up. The short-haired brunette.

She came forward and held your hand in much the way that Tamaki would. You grimace-smile and try to pull your hand from her, but she then holds your hand with both of hers and her hold tightens. These girls are not normal.  
>She leaned in.<p>

"Are you alright?" She asks again.

You nod your head. She lets go. _Dang! She is crazy._

"Well that is just a relief!" She says while flipping back her head and hair. "Mim dearest, are you alright too?"

Mim quickly shakes her head like a bobble-doll. Apparently Mim didn't want the vice hold either.

The initial shock must have been wearing off because you found that you finally had a back bone. Hmm. It must have been hiding.

You cleared your throat. They all turned and looked at you.

" We'll, as much fun as this has been...please stop this car." The brunette tilted her head.

"Now," you say a bit more forceful.

"But," the brunette stuttered," Mim said that you were happy to help."

" And I am, " you reply. "Mim and I have an agreement, and I'm afraid that she has to fulfill her end before I do anything."

" We'll you are just going to have to change your plans because we have to get this set design done now. We don't have time for any proper turn of events," The Brunette replied.

"If you didn't have time for 'turn of events' then why we're you so theatrical back at the school!" You argued back.

"That was just for that stupid host club. We make time to pull theatrics on them," was her answer. It didn't make any sense. At least the host club this time wasn't exaggerating how scary the Zuka club was, and how much they hated them.

"How do I know that Mim will keep her end of it?" You ask, which was really directed more at Mim to answer then the Brunette.

"I'll tell Father once we get home today if you'll put up with starting the designing today," Mim begged.  
>Well darn, it looked like you we're starting today.<p>

" If you don't keep up your end then I won't be helping tomorrow," You warn. Mim nodded her head in agreement and understanding.

There were a lot more people helping with the set then you originally thought. You thought that it would be like at the host club, where you were most often the only one setting up props. The Zuka club's play was apparently much bigger then anything that the Host club did. They had a team of volunteers, backstage crew, actors, and you setting everything up. Which meant that the number of people that they put up under you was something maybe just barely under 100 people.

Why they needed that many hands was beyond you. After all, this was a high school play production. Why did they need volunteers? Then you saw the stage, which was very large. They also had full on broadway worthy lighting, and costuming. The actual play production was a broadway, which required costumes, set changes, and props. The only thing that they were missing from the big set up was a backdrop and a few other design pieces, which was, of course, where you came in. And you did your job. The next few weeks you went there after school and make things out to be exactly the way that the group wanted it. It was also the first time that you had seen Mim shine.

The performance came fast, and the opening night you stayed after setting up to watch. You had no idea that Mim could sing or act, but she proved that she deserved a place among the club members. She looked lovely on stage, and her personality while practice was different then the balloon-head she was around her sister. For the first time, on that stage, acting, Mim was a real person.

You forgot about the deals between the two of you after that. Maybe it was the joy at lending a hand in the maturity of a person, maybe it was the satisfaction at dreams come true-like the romantic that you are.

You painted away in peace for a few days. Then...

"Yuko!" Mim came stampeding into your studio. "That you for all of your help!"

"Yep, sure thing," you say half-mindedly. Then she told you that she had just told your uncle everything.

"Wait, what?"

"Yep," she giggled. "He wasn't as mad as I thought he was going to be. Oh! And he asked if you could go see him" She rambled on about the show, you help, her friends but you listened through water. You walked out with her and went in to see your uncle.

*knock knock*

"Whose there?" came from the inside of the room.

"Victim" you almost said. You doubt your uncle would have gotten the punch line. You poke your head in threw the door as a response instead. You uncle looked up and moved whatever he was working on to the side. You sat down in one of the large mouths in front of his desk and let your self start sinking.

You look up at him, wondering if he was going to say anything. He moved things around some more while he tried to figure what to say.

"Yuko, why didn't you tell me the truth?" He finally asked.

"I did tell you the truth. I just make it more obscure. Besides you would have either ignored the accusation or made excuses for them."

He sighed.

"Is that really what you think?"

"Well I did say it."

"Well I suppose you wouldn't be wrong. I would have done that."

"So..." you trail off.

"So we are going to make this relationship work better. You mother would have wanted you in a place where you weren't isolated."

"Just my mother?" you think.

"The only way to do that is to get you involved with the family," you uncle continued.

"Which would mean?" You ask.

"Which means you should probably start prepping for your first charity ball. If we both want you in the family, we are both going to have to act like you are in the family."

"Now he starts thinking this? Little late for connections," goes your inter-monologue.

(Now I know what most are you are probably thinking: "Da F- just happened?" Well I can tell you. I lost motivation to write out the rest of it. I had an idea of what I wanted from this chapter but I didn't know how to do that at the time. I'm letting you know now that this is one chapter that I hated writing, so I didn't. It is going to get a major makeover when I revise.)


	18. Dances and Promises

Relationships have never been a strong point with you, and this upcoming ball was in example of your unused, nonexistent skill. Was your uncle trying to involve you in the company after seeing his previous neglect, or just testing some waters now that his daughters but unable to make it? Did it matter much to you? Not really. The point was your love for dancing was equal to your socializing skill.

The next weekend your uncle had a maid and butler go out with you shopping for dresses. Not that you didn't already have a dress-oh no-you have plenty of classy dresses to choose from. However, your uncle didn't like any of them. So that meant shopping. Yay.

Now, as a girl, you do actually like shopping. Finding a cute shirt or necklace can be entertaining. Those times it was your own sweet time you're using, so that means trying out things that you like when you want to. This weekend had your uncle on videophone the entire time giving comments about each dress. He had work that had to be done at the office, but that didn't mean the he still didn't have an opinion. The maid and butler were there to make sure that you put on each dress. It was tempting to hide from them but you did have to go home eventually. So that was how the shopping went. Fun.

The ball was even less entertaining. It was just a bunch of people bidding on items, mostly because they wanted tax deductions. There was some dancing. Mostly Standing about with glasses and chit chat. You didn't dance anyway. Just like previously at the Thanksgiving ball: touching, no; dancing: not good with little coordination skills; conversations: equal to dancing skills; standing in the corner sipping at fizzy juice: within acceptable ability rang. Guess which one you did?

This wasn't so bad to do. Besides the fact that the balls could go on for hours, it was not that boring. For instance: just some time into the event, as songs started for dancing, you in a nifty little corner -not making eye contact- while most people chose to ignore you because of general air of disdain coming form your end, someone actually dared to speak to you.

"Hello Miss Menmonta. Are you enjoying the evening?."

Looking up from your glass you see dark hair and glasses...Out everyone could have been there...

"I'd enjoy it better with less people." You answer back.

Kyouya smiled and his glasses caught the reflection of the over hanging lights.

" Just as unsocial as ever."

"And you are snaky."

He came over and stood besides you while people started dancing.

"Are you just going to stand in this corner all night?"

"Yep."

He made a "hmp" sound.

" What, no book tonight?

"I don't usually bring it to charity balls."

"Oh."

You looked off to another side.

"Where are your glasses tonight?" He asked.

"My uncle made me wear contacts tonight. He said he didn't think he liked them with the dress."

" It certainly is a different look for you."

" Is that an insult? "

"Does everything have to have a negative subtext to you?"

"On most occupations, no. But then I considered who I was talking to."

" How rude. I was trying to imply that you look lovely tonight."

"No hosting during off duty hours," you say quickly.

" It's not an act, you do look very nice tonight."

" We'll say it with less flowers sparkling."

" What put you into this mood? I didn't think that that I inspired hostility from you." He folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to you. In this way you were both side by side. Just two kids talking in a random ballroom in Tokyo.

" I'm not a pleasant person to night. I'm tired, in a dress, with out glasses, and have weird slimy stuff poking into my eyes."

" No need to take it out on me."

" No reason why you couldn't just walk away. I'm not in a sympathetic mood."

"It is rude of a gentleman not to inquire after a lady standing by herself. It is also the show of a very poor host."

"Again, no hosting off the clock. Have you been letting Tamaki rube off of you?"

"Actually my family is the one hosting this ball, so I would be being a very poor host."

You stare at him in surprise for a moment, then you sighed.

"Is there anything that your family isn't' apart of?"

"Nothing that isn't of importance to our company."

You shake your head.

The song had ended. People started shifting places for the next dance.

"Would you like to dance?" Kyouya asked as the old dance partners moved off the floor.

"No," you state flatly.

"Still don't like dancing?"

"Nope."

"You aren't that uncoordinated."

"Tell that to my feet."

"Those contacts don't bring out the best person in you. Would you like me to send someone to get your glasses?"

You scrunched your face into mild curiosity. "Why?"

"Because then you wouldn't be as irritated, and I would have a better conversation partner."

"Are you that bored?"

"Dances aren't my favorite either."

Really, should this be surprising? Actually, yes. Everything that Kyouya did had meaning behind it, so it made his actual enjoyments a mystery.

"So I'm the entertainment," you state. Being used was fine, you supposed, because, technically, he was your entertainment too.

"You worded it that way."

Your edge was slowly dying, and your venom stopped spewing. "Don't you have a line of fan girls waiting for you somewhere?" You ask half-heartedly.

"I wouldn't call that entertainment. And even if I did, I separate business and personal affairs."

You smirked. "I'm honored."

He shrugged and smiled. "Your demeanor is finally melting."

"Well now I have something to think about then how badly my eyes and feet hurt."

"Once another song comes on, we could both have further distraction."

"Why are you trying so hard to get me to dance?"

"I have to appear to be doing something productive for the family. If _I_ don't find don't something, someone else will."

"The image of you as a pushover is not something that readily comes to mind," you laugh. He only smiled.

"The next song will be slower so you don't have to move your feet very much."

"If you get the song to be slower, I'll dance," you say with sarcasm. But Kyouya takes that and walks over to the tech guys. He whispers something then comes back.

"Was that a request for a slower song?" You mock.

"No, I _told_ them to play a slower song," he replied.

You didn't exactly go rigid, but you could feel the want in your body to do so. "Sometimes the power you exert over people is scary."

"I try," he smiled with a little wave of his hand.

The music changed and people moved around on the floor. Kyouya extended his hand to you and bowed slightly.

"May I have this dance?"

"You ask? Well, you did orchestrate it so I should be polite and humor you." With that you take his hand.

You take his hand and he leads you out to the dance floor. The last time you had danced had been at the Thanksgiving Ball, and most of it had been with the twins. That dancing experience was mostly being thrown about. Last time you had danced with him though, Kyouya was very good. Or maybe that was because of being thrown around. The song was slow, as promised, but Kyouya didn't use it as an excuse to hold you tightly. Instead you were held at a moderate distance, really just circling instead of "dancing". The song was a nice instrumental, almost jazzy, piece that didn't show any hints of romance. The swaying would have become relaxing if you couldn't get the fact that there was a hand on your waist.

The two of you didn't talk for the first few moments on the floor because Kyouya didn't seem to be in a chatty mood. In fact he didn't even seem to be enjoying dancing. Not that you cared that much. Not more than a few seconds was spent thinking about the weird mood. You turned your head to the side and looked at the other people. People swayed, some actually did formal dancing, and some got a little more interesting. None of it, however, got too extreme-this was a business transaction.

After glancing over the dancers your eyes happened upon your uncle who was talking to a suit. You kept your eye on the familiar sight longer then anything else. The suit and your uncle just talked. You would have turned away just then if it wouldn't for the fact your uncle nodded his head on your direction and the suit mad eye contact. You wanted to pull your eyes away but this man held his stare ,and if you should look away it would feel like merchandise to a shopper. Approval sparkled through his glasses and he looked away.

The song ended but there was no hesitation to the next song. Kyouya and you kept swaying.

You look back a Kyouya slightly more disturbed but decide to shrug it off. It wasn't like anyone else wasn't appraising you throughout the night.

Kyouya was looking in some other direction so you saw his profile. You cocked your head to one side. The one eye that you could see of Kyouya's swirled in your direction. He didn't say anything, then went back to his own studies to let you continue your own.

"Isn't it normally the job of the gentleman to make conversation," you ask.

"You looked like you were being entertained by everyone else," he replied still looking off.

"Still." The awkwardness grew, making invisible fingers brush your upper arm, back, and neck. "You aren't going to talk to me at all? Did my comment about Tamaki make you completely want to kill that instinct?"

That pulled his attention back to you. He didn't reply but he looked at you curiously.

" You asked me out here, so therefore it is your job to keep the conversation going," you continue.

"I asked you for my own entertainment," he challenged.

"Then I must seem very entertaining for there to be no need of conversation."

"Not quite."

"Honestly but no tact is a horrible combination."

He didn't reply. Thus died the subject. He looked around and focused on a few things, letting his eyes slowly trail. There was no doubt about it. This was boredom.

Fingers didn't run across your skin but something tapped a hidden part of your brain. "Why did you ask me out here."

"Entertainment. I thought we just went over this," he said to some apparition that was taller than you.

"Then why didn't we just talk over in the corner. We were making fine conversation then." Your voice made strange emphasis and pitches on certain words. He continued to not look at you so you decided to see what he was doing.

Looking around the room with a closer eye you found that you weren't randomly dancing. There were patches of people in areas. They grouped together, but still had space. Different clusters orbited around each other, but the two of you were meteors. One group would move in a certain direction and you would move around them. Your bubble never morphed into theirs. All the while you were also able to keep vectors with one area of spectators. Or more specifically, two. The realization leaked with some heat.

"You're showing me off," you whisper as you feel your face slowly starting to show the raising anger.

"Why would I be doing that?" This makes you straighten up in defiance.

"So now I'm entertaining?"

"Slightly more."

He raised his arm that held your hand and using the other hand that was on your waist, he pushed your side under the arch. The movement was fast and so was your twirl. Once you returned to facing him he replaced his hand on your waist.  
>"You are showing me off!" Your chest raised and determination set in.<p>

"Take me back to the my corner," you demand.

"Your corner is on the other side of the floor. It would be rude to stop dancing and push through these people." He then repeated the twirl.

"Stop it," you hiss.

His eyes iced over.

"Fine," you growl. You started tugging against his dance.

"What are you doing?" He asked. "The man is suppose to lead."

"I am the man right now," you said raising your voice slightly with the mock.

"If you will wait till the end of the song then I will take you to the edge," he sighed.

You stopped tugging. He lead you back to the original spot on the floor and soon the song ended. You both separated and gave a little formal bow. He held out is hand and you took it. You almost pulled your hand out of his though, because you started marching toward your corner but he was leading in the other direction. His griped tightened and pulled you the other way.

You uncle smiled at you when you came over and you forced one on.

"Yuko, you danced very beautifully." You stood beside him and Kyouya took his place beside his father.

You open your mouth more so the words don't come through your teeth and twitching cheeks. "It's not hard to sway when you have a good partner."

"Kyouya is very eloquent with ladies," his father said putting a hand on Kyouya's shoulder. Kyouya nodded his head.  
>Your uncle and his father beam at each other. Unlike you, Kyouya doesn't squirm next to his father.<p> 


	19. Sweet Dreams

Your dress scrunches up over your knees and piles onto your lap as you slip down your seat. You lean over the window, away from your uncle, and tap your fingers rhythmically on the lip. The party had only lasted for maybe half an hour more, but it lingered more than the first. All the while you had been stuck with smiles and bows and dancing with Kyouya and pleasant talk and forced introductions and...It didn't matter. The night was authentically fake. Just as fake as your dolled up hair, your eyes, your dress, your feet on the dance floor...You realize that your fingers where tapping frantically. You lock the muscles in your last three fingers and allow your index finger to staccato in increments of two. You pull your hair over your shoulder with the opposite hand. "_Enough with the night,"_ you have to sooth. The scenery outside the window isn't interesting. Stretched out lights with their prism colors. Random rising and dropping blackish forms. Then there is the feeling of suffocation every time the shadows move in toward the car. In streets with more light the city becomes more then a phantom.

Your tapping continues. You slide farther down in your seat.

"Yuko, sit up. That isn't good for your back."

You lean forward and push your hips back in to the chair. You lean back over to your window and resume tapping.  
>A throat clears.<p>

"You did very well tonight, the Ootaries where very pleased with you."

"My one ambition in life," you mumble.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Was there something wrong with Kyouya? I thought that you might like him better than one of his brothers." Your head twitched toward your uncle, but you controlled it back toward the window.

You clench your jaw, release it, then say "I have no idea about Kyouya," with contempt.

You hear your uncle's cloths rustle. "You have no idea? What does that mean?" He says offended. You release a quick breathe of agitation and scorn. Your tapping stops.

"I have no idea what to think about Kyouya," you reiterate stressing his name. "I am actually, kinda, mixed up about him. I mean-" you turn to your uncle, "I thought that Kyouya and I were friendly, I didn't realize that I suppose to be _that_ friendly."  
>"What are you mocking me for?"<p>

Your uncle's voice rises. "I set you up with a boy of good stature, who you know -who could make you happier then some random stranger!"

"Yeah," you say obviously, "you did _set me up._"

You uncle's hands toss up. "Of course I did! Did you expect me to give you a list of the wealthy families and say, 'Here, pick out a good one.'"

"I wasn't expecting you to marry me off at my very first ball with out my say, with out my _consideration,_ and _expect_ that I would think it was a fantastic idea. What am I, some kind of chattel?"

"Would you prefer that I just left you to the commoner world?"

"Yeah!"

"_Sir, is everything okay back there?", _interrupts the driver.

You uncles fist flies over to the small button pad and hits it, then raps it with his knuckles, and finally he figures out how to open his hand to allow his finger to smash randomly into the pad until the white noise can be heard.

"Just keep driving," he snaps at the pad.

"_Sorry sir," _answers back the driver.

Your uncle turns back to you. "What do you mean, 'leave you to the commoner world'? What would you mother think if I just took you in to do nothing for you-"

"Mom wouldn't have cared, but you wouldn't know that because none of you ever bothered to contact us," you interrupt.

When you where little, at the time when the ages of six, seven, and eight all blend together from older years but feel massively significant for the younger, you remember parties. Just now when you mentioned your mother a thought, one that had not been brought up until now, took front stage. You're sitting on a bench at a sky is a painting, it was one of those that is all smeared and nobody but artists and people with magnify-glasses -sometimes a computer- can tell where the blues turn into reds, turn into purples, turn into blacks. You were so caught up with trying to find those spots that you didn't care about anyone else. Little kids chased each other, reaching out to try and barely touch a shoulder, arm, and sometimes head; when they did, they made sure to add a little pressure to the swing so everyone around could hear the small slap, declaring that person as the new 'it'. Still you didn't care. When your parents came from the groups of parents they had asked you why you sat on the bench.

"Because!" you tell them, "I was trying to tell the shades apart in the sky."

You mother smiled and said nothing. Your father asked if anything was wrong. You said no. Silence. "Are your cousins okay? I mean, is everything okay with them sweetie?" Asked your father.

"But they aren't my cousins. Cousins are the kids of actual brothers and sisters of a mama or daddy," you said.

"And their parents basically are," said your father. You stayed silent.

"What's up?" You dad asked. "Why does nobody look like mama when we come to the park for family night?"

Your mother took over this one, "Because none of Mama's family is here." "Where are they?" You asked. "Somewhere else," said you mother. "Doesn't Daddy sent out the dates and the..." "RSVP," your father said. "RSVP to let everybody know where we are going this time? Doesn't Mama's family check the Family Board?"

"No," said your mother, "They don't. Mama's family doesn't know where the Family Board is."

"Even if they did they wouldn't look " grumbled your father.

"What?" you asked, turning your head quickly to him. "Nothing," said both your mother and father.

When children are little, most parents assume that they don't catch the things that they hear, which irreverently leads to making exactly what the word says. Children _do _hear it, they just don't understand it. Later, when they are reliving memories, they will come across the moment and finally realize what "nothing" was. Only for a time to kids not catch it. When you had moved in with your uncle, he had told you to behave with the sublime text of expecting disapproval. Then you figured out why nobody at the family picnics ever looked like mama.

In the car, you remembered the painted sky, and wished for it now. You wished for everything.

"Mom wouldn't have cared. You ever think that maybe that's why she left? Because she considered herself good enough for them. Why did you even take me to this? Am I threatening? Are you tired of me? Because really, if you are, you could have just sent me back to America."  
>Your uncle's face twitch as he sputtered. "W-What are <em>YOU <em>talking about? I researched into this all week! I looked up families that had kids around your age, I looked up most of the boys in you class, I found out that you were in that Host Club! I mean, I thought about contacting Suoh, but we don't really have any ties to them, at least with the Ootari family we can make the pairing look legitimate...And what do you mean your mother left because!...How is that?...Your mother left us! She abandoned everything thing that we were raised to be. She disregarded everything about the company and the family. And because of what? She thought she was in love? She thought that she was entitled to it? Did she think we all didn't want the same thing? She could just run off, but one of us had to stay. What did that leave ME?!..."

"...What?"

"Nothing. Just..." You uncle slumped back into his chair and dropped his head into his hands. He rubbed face, then looked away from you. He shook his head.

You looked down at your hands. The pieces wanted to be made sense out of, but they way they were fitting. You had never made something before that you didn't like. If you didn't like you, you stopped putting effort into it. This piece though, it was making itself. It had to be made. Suck it up. Grow up. Grin and bear it. _Shoganai, _ as the Japanese say.

"I'll...," you sigh. "I'll check him out."

You uncle waved his hand. "Do what you want. I obviously got it wrong."

"You put the effort into this, so I'll humor it."

"Oh?" He snorted.

"Why did you even get us into this mess? Did you think I was just going to jump on board?"

"I thought that I was paying attention to you now. And I did think about my sister! I thought about the restrictions that we had and I loosened them for you, just as she would have wanted. Everything that we wanted when we thought we could make a better life. You have to understand I can't do that. Our company can't go through that again. Do you know what it was like? Being left with the clean up. You mom, my sister, never even thought to make it quiet or even convenient. She just left."

"You don't have to, I understand. I am still my mother's daughter, though. Like I said before, I'll look into it. If I think it can work...it'll work."

You uncle turned back to you. His eyes were drawn down, and dark forms crested the lower parts of his eyes.  
>"I tried," he said.<p>

"I know," you said. You paused a little before you say, "I'm sorry."

You got out of the car and headed straight for your house. Thankfully, your uncle didn't yet see that you needed to live in the main house."_Thank God!"_ You thought. You struggled with the straps of the shoes once inside and carried them to your bedroom with you. You went to the closet and stuff the shoes behind cloths and other shoes, really anything that would hide them.  
>You turned to the mirror and looked. Your hair was slightly untidy, but basically still pinned up- because of this you took out all of the bobby pins you could find and let your hair shake loose, enjoying the fact that now it looked even messier. You felt like your eyes looked smaller, but they couldn't be because the make up was suppose to fix that. Your face was redder through the foundation, enhancing the fading blush. You lips had worn most of the traces of lipstick off. You stared a little more, trying to figure out what you should look like. This was how you were <em>suppose <em> to look if you were going to make everything work, but it was so different. Minutes passed and you continued to study, and every second that passed made cold fingers brushed against your arms, back, chest, till finally they started moving toward the middle of your chest, trying to work themselves into your sternum. They brushed your sides, and hit your upper stomach till it cramped. Finally you couldn't stand them any more so you looked away.

Sighing, you reach for zipper of your dress behind your back and work it down till you can get out of the dress. The dress drops to the ground and you step out. Standing almost naked you feel the emotion sweep up your neck, into your jaw, your cheeks, and finally they press at your eyes. You kick the dress and let out a screech. You get on your knees and push the dress under the cloths with the shoes. _"Maybe they'll rot together," _you think. The dressed doesn't get covered fully so you pull cloths off of their hangers till it finally is.

Still wearing practically nothing you go into the bathroom and go to the cupboard to find facial cleanser. When you close the door and see your reflection you glare at it and take out the contact lenses. These you throw way. You pour a quarter size glob of cleaner into your hand and scrub it all over your face. After rising you clean your face three more times.

After getting all of the make up off your face you make sure nothing is in your hair and turn off the light to the bathroom as you leave. The room is cold, and where the water dripped down onto your neck and shoulders has made them even colder. You decide you are too tired for anything else and head straight for the bed. You jump onto the blankets and roll around until the blankets bunch up around you. You then undue your bra and drop it on the floor beside the bed. Laying in the middle of the mattress you think more about your reflection, the fakeness that was basically all of the night, and wonder if you'll be able to make it last a life time.

_You go to school and talk to Kyouya about everything, the dance, the engagement, a life. He agrees, you both have to do it. You tell the others. They are happy. All the time you smile. The year passes and you are in the final weeks of your senior year, two weeks after you graduate Kyouya is going to go to college for two years, and all you can think about is how exciting it will be to be alone. You smile for the press, you smile for the future of two companies, you smile for Kyouya, you smile for your uncle. After you are done smiling you are glad to shut yourself up into your art room. There are more pictures then ever, and you plan to paint even more in the years to follow. Graduation, nothing is special. You paint. Then, someone knocks on the door to your room and tells you it's time. You sigh and stand up, brushing off your white dress. You walk out of the room and the only thing you can think of is not tripping on the train and walking straight in the heals. White light floods your vision as roses fall. "Welcome," you hear. The flowers fall onto your dress and stick. They don't move, they start melting right into the dress. The air is filled with a sweetness that becomes too strong and starts smothering you. The flowers fall onto your hair and crust, and you feel them ooze down your forehead, into your lashes, over your cheeks. You can't see anything but white and red. The smell gets stronger and you realize that it's because the flowers are now growing around your nose, your eyes, your mouth. You try to move your hands up to block your face but the flowers weight them down. They fall into your arms and hands and freeze, leaving them petrified. The white light is shut off, and a single spot light flashes in front of you in a circle. A heavy gasping -like that in the dying wards of a hospital- metallic sound echoes around you, and you see a full length mirror being pushed into the light. From what you can see, the mirror is by itself. At first the mirror shows nothing but blurs and streaks, but then it focuses, and there you are. Beautiful. You hold a bouquet of indistinguishable flowers in front of your chest. Your gown looks apart of your skin as it flows off in sculpture like ripples down your arms like a medieval princess. Your bodice and waist is cut to outline you perfectly, with lace and intricate beads working with your outline. The skirt falls, and the train of the dress is gathered around you in a circle. A light lace veil covers your face, which behind holds the perfect Mona Lisa smile. You are frozen in red, but you make the perfect statue. If you were holding a scythe, you would be the ideal bride for Death._

(Most of you should notice the dramatic change in writing style in this chapter. This would be because I got an editor on Quotev who helped me draw out and describe this chapter. Also, this was posted two months after "Dances and Promises" so I had more time to think about what I was doing. The next few chapters will be just as detailed if not more. Be prepared for longer chapters from this point on)


	20. Figuring out Monday Mornings

Your eyes open. That's it. No waking up with a cold sweat, no hard breathing, no chills. Somehow still, when you opened your eyes you feel your whole body shake. Your breathe starts to catch and your chest stutters. You feel the tears start to build, then as one barely peaks out of the corner of one eye it all stops. Your chest still feels tight, but you can't muster any tears. This makes you want to cry more but you can't feel anything. You clench your teeth and close your eyes, take a deep breathe, then sit up and start to get ready for the rest of the day.

You feel so tired, one of those mornings where you know you slept but you could feel lying down the entire night. Standing up makes you aware of your weight and the amount of energy it takes you move your legs. You feel the curvature of your spine, the pressure to keep everything in your body upright and not fold into itself. A slight headache presses between your eyes and the world blurs. By memory, you find your way to the closet.

You pull things out and avoid looking at the pile you made the night before. Then you remember, it's a school day. You pull out one of the dress uniforms, stockings, and such. When you are done you go back out into your room and see that it is about two hours till you were suppose to get up. You shrug your shoulders and shuffle out the door to your art room.

Sitting down in front of a canvas, you pull out the paint tubes and brushes. You press down on the tubes over a paper-towel covered wooden disk and smother one of the brushes. You move the brush all over the canvas, clean the brush, find a new color, paint, clean the brush again, and changed brushes. You don't even know what you are doing. Your hands move mechanically, and your body rocks back and forth, but you are not making any conscious decisions. Your eyes feel hollow and dry, so you blink rapidly. You find that you actually aren't even looking at the picture any more, but your eyes are wondering all about the room. The works have grown less over the past couple of months and you wonder why you never took advantage of the time you had to paint more. You knew that you needed more, there had to be more. How could you have let all of that go to waste? Now the tears started to build. You feel the stutter in your chest heave and the tears fall like angels. The beautiful angels, ones that never had the chance to help you express before. Now they were doomed to the straight faced agony. Never again were you going to enjoy them. Never again where you going to be able relish the peace that comes from letting heaven hear you. Once the angels fell they can never gain back mercy, love, or peace. Maybe the only emotion that would be open to you now would be numbness, and how strange considering that it was supposed to be you friend. You had always made it your friend. It was paired with toleration and indifference. The three that was your trinity. They helped you live, breathe, and die the daily life.

Maybe this was your fault though. You sanctified their existence and encourage only them. Maybe it was right that they would be the only ones to comfort you. We all have to deal with the demons we've been given. Your demons just so happen to once be your very own angels. That was the tragedy.

The heaving continues and you can do nothing. Emotions swarm around with their own dizzying colors, and it feels as if this was the first time that you have ever felt this much. The host club assumed that you were invisible, but that wasn't exactly true. You now figured that it wasn't yourself you had made invisible, it was your emotions.

The angels turned to devils faster than you imagined. Red, hot, and angry they were.

"How is this fair?" They screamed. "We have only just started to be born. After years in a comatose, we have just been allowed to exist!"

"Shut up," you plead back. They swelter around in agony. They form ringlets around you and close their noose. They choke you.

"Stop!" you cry back. "There is nothing that I can do. We all have to make sacrifices and this is mine. It is only right, right? After all these years doesn't it feel like fate has been setting us up for this one moment? Why else would we have been trained these past six years in the art of blotting out our feeling? We have been preparing for the life time of living a lie. We had to start with little steps so we could master smiling."

"If that's so, we should have never been able to awaken everything that we locked away when we decided to stop acting out for attention. The boys should have never been able to help us. Kyouya is one of them, why would he make us bury ourselves again if he was the one who woke us up?" They questioned.

"Because he wanted to mean well, but he also has to follow the rules outlined for him."

Your crying slows and your breathing slowly starts returning to normal. Your skin sticks together and feels crusty. You had given the answer that explained everything. Kyouya had his role to play as well as you did. Maybe you would find out how he was able to accept it so well. You wanted to run, hide from everyone. You knew that if you pretended to play along with marrying Kyouya just until you graduated, then took off just the way that your mom did, you could get away. You also knew that Kyouya would resent you for it. The Club might even resent you for it. You had to find out Kyouya's secrete to always being so cool and collected even in the face of giving up his own freedom. Kyouya never seemed to be the type to let others manipulate him, and yet how could he handle this? This would be the death of you, but the choice seemed to stand between dying of a life time of cold, or dying of because you would be giving up the only warmth you had felt for six years. Either hypothermia would set question was, though, which one would kill you first.

You pulled back from the painting, and after a few minutes of looking at all of the colors and forms, you had no idea what you had painted.

When you got to school the idea occurred to you that you might have to tell the other Club Members. You really dreaded this, you didn't know why though. You thought that maybe the others would all be happy for the two of you. They would congratulate both of you and wonder why the two of you never said anything about being in love. Of course the two of you had to be in love, what else would it be? You guessed that Kyouya wouldn't lie to them, maybe tell them the truth about how it had all been set up, or maybe he wouldn't say anything but instead let you take the lead. If you didn't say anything you doubted Kyouya would. Kyouya would be on his merry way, just like always. If you didn't say anything, though, you also guessed that maybe the others would get the hints. What would they think? You guessed that you had no idea. You weren't going to even try that. All of them had surprised you in the fact that they had even cared about what happened when you art room got trashed. Why did they all have to be rounded characters? Why couldn't they be the stereotypes that they were suppose to be?  
>The twins would have been mischievous, teasing you and Kyouya to no end.<p>

Honey and Mori would have been happy supportive, with sparkling flowers and grunts.

Haruhi, well, would have seen right through it. You think about what Haruhi would have done, should have done. Haruhi would have supported you, given you a shoulder to cry on, someone who would have listen to you. But in the end she couldn't help.  
>Tamaki would have been a dense idiot. Kyouya could manipulate him into being the perfect collaborator. Tamaki would have been so happy that you would have had no choice but to grin and bear it. You are not sure whether you prefer Tamaki as an idiot, or as an idiot who can read people. If he found out, being the rounded character you knew he could be, what would he have done? He might have tried to persuade Kyouya to no effect. Kyouya, after all, really ran the Host Club. Kyouya really ran everything. Tamaki couldn't do anything. He could have given you the pat of the back and made a promise that everything was going to be okay. You finally decide that you prefer him to just be an idiot.<p>

After all of the hypothetical situations, you made up your mind not to tell them. Let Kyouya do that, he could be the man. You would play the beautiful trophy because it would be easy not to speak. As long as you didn't speak you knew that you wouldn't cry. It was one of those moments. The face is seemingly perfect but one crack will release the dam. You wanted to avoid them, actually, at all costs. So you made your first stop to Music Room 3 to set up. You didn't know if they were going to do something special. You hadn't heard of anything, so you just set up the chairs and tables, made sure that the cabinets were stocked, and left a note on the meeting table for them:

Which ever Host Member happens to read this first,  
>I'm fine so don't worry about me leaving a note. I'm going to be busy for the next little while because of some...Personal things going on. Kyouya knows my email and my phone number so just have him either send me a text or an email if you guys want to cosplay. I don't know how long I"m going to be busy for but I'll make sure to have any preparations done before the club has to start.<p>

Yuko.

That was the surest way to make sure that you wouldn't have to deal with them.

You headed off to class and remembered the better days when nobody knew you were in them.

In class was a little bit more of a struggle. Tamaki had made it an annoying habit to always talk to you while in class. You sat four seats away from him but that didn't stop him from coming over to you almost every chance he had. You had asked to not acknowledge your presence while around people other then the host club but he refused. He constantly told you that you were worthy of the attention, or something like that. On your off days he kept a slight more distance, but today he didn't notice you shrinking.

Kyouya didn't say anything to him, just as you thought, because Tamaki didn't mention it. Kyouya also didn't even hint at telling anyone.

During your lunch break you tried to run out of the room hoping that you could hide in the girls bathroom till everyone had gone to lunch so you could stay in the homeroom. Tamaki called out to you before you made it out the door.

"Yuko, where you going?" He called out.

"To the bathroom," you said quickly.

"Alright, we'll meet you in the lunch room okay? Haruhi said that...he...was going to bring a packed lunch and told me that I could try some. I can't wait!"

"Yeah, I know how you love the commoner stuff. I don't want to make you wait," you smiled back.

You saw that Kyouya was going to say something so you left the room before you could hear it. Once out of the room you ran to the closest bathroom. It took a while to get to it, but once in the marble stall you felt safe. You placed the lid down on the heated automatic toilet and curled up on it.

You waited for fifteen minutes to make sure that no one would be in the homeroom. Maybe if this was a normal high school you could expect that some kids might eat in there, but because everybody wanted to eat the fresh made entrees and desserts there was no problems with it. You unfurled and stretched out your legs before standing up. You headed back to the homeroom and sat at your desk. Your stomach growled so you took out a snack you had gotten earlier to calm your hunger till your walk home, you could get something on the way.

The room was more quiet then you were use to. Static buzzed around the air and grew constantly louder the longer silence was allowed grow. Every time you moved you could hear the rustling of your cloths echo around the room, and every squeak of your shoes could have been nails on the chalk board. Well the school didn't use chalk boards, but still. You let out a heavy breathe and wormed your want under your desk. With your food cupped in your hands and your knees pulled to your chest, you closed your eyes and leaned your head back to the rim of your chair.

The actual feeling of being alone was different from feeling alone. The physicality was pleasant. There was no horrible giggling in the back ground. There was no echoing gossip. There was nothing to judge you. You turned your eye lids into a canvas and started to make images out of the floating things in the black, you created your own music to go with their movements, and before too long you fell asleep.

Something grew increasingly loud so you woke up. You heard feet scuffling across the tilted floor and the voices steadily got clearer. You huddled tighter hoping they wouldn't come into the room enough to see you. You became aware of how noisy your breathing was, it sounded like you were out of breathe. You tried to regulate it but were only able to manage turning it choppy, you had to let it out in little puffs. Your legs and arms grew hotter, and the muscles seemed strangely tight. You strained your neck downward and imagined yourself as a very small, invisible, ball. The foot steps stopped a little ways into the room.  
>"Well, I guess she's not in here. I wonder where she went, she said she was going to meet us. I hope she didn't get sick or something. Did you notice that she seemed a little paler," you heard Tamaki say.<p>

"She looked the same physically. She was somewhat jumpy though," said Kyouya. You curled in tighter.

The footsteps shuffled in a few more feet and you saw their shoes and lower pants from behind the other desks.

"Do you think we should go ask one of the girls to go check the closest girls bathroom, or maybe the nurses office?" Tamaki trialed off and started to walk toward you again. Your had to hold your breathe or else you were sure that they would hear you. It was a miracle they hadn't heard you before.

Kyouya must have pulled Tamaki back because his feet stopped mid-movement, and you let out an involuntary stutter. "I'm sure she's fine. She hasn't really joined us for lunch any other time. I think there was this deli off campus that she orders from. She might just be in the closest art room like she used to do."

"She use to sit in the art room?"

"She said that it was one of her favorite places." Kyouya walked over for a moment toward his desk. Just as you started to see half of his pants legs he stopped.

"What?" Tamaki asked.

"Nothing. Come on, lets go back to the lunch room." You imagined a slight smirk on his face, but you were hoping it was just your imagination. Tamaki didn't answer, stayed where he was for a few moments; you could see his foot hesitate and twitch in your direction.

"Come on," Kyouya said with slight impatience, and Tamaki reluctantly headed for the door.

You waited till their footsteps and voices were distant before you crawled out from under the desk. Your breathe was still airy and you could feel all of the blood rushing around your body and especially to your head. For a moment you felt light headed and your eye sight became hazy, but it eventually passed. You realized that your hands were in fists, so you worked them open. Your fingers were stiff as if they were frozen, and when they moved it stung. Your hands shook and your nails made deep crescent shapes in your palm. The crumbs of your lunch bounced and rained from your hands onto the floor, and you clasped your hands together to try to distribute the muscle spasms. Your hands were sore and sticky when you finally shook out your hands, so you kicked the crumbs around till they were less noticeable and headed off toward the bathroom.

Running hot water over the sticky parts of your hands helped get them clean but it didn't stop them from shaking. Taking measured breaths helped a little bit more but it still felt like your heart would never slow down. You had no idea why you hadn't wanted them to find you nor why it gave you such a panic attack. Everything was just so wrong. Everything was slowly slipping, nothing could be controlled. You just wanted everything to stop or at least go back to the way it had been. Maybe the fates misunderstood you when you asked for someone to be your friend or notice you, because it was a lot more work then it was suppose to be. Wasn't having friends suppose to be thrill, something that all people longed for? Humans are, after all, social creatures; they are made to interact with each other. Any book that is read, or any show that is watched, will always show that having friends or eventually being accepted into the social spectrum is a blessing. Why was all of this so hard?

You eventually turned off the tap and dried off your hands. You could tell that your body didn't want to do anything else. The entire day had felt so long and so stressful, and it was only just now lunch. Not wanting to go back to class, you tried to think of ways that you could maybe leave for the rest of school. Just skipping wouldn't be helpful because the school would most likely call you uncle. The last thing that you wanted was do deal with him so soon. You thought that maybe you could tell your teacher that you felt sick, so spending the rest of the day in the nurses office. The idea was almost put into action, but then you remembered that Tamaki had thought that you looked sick so he would most definitely walk you down to the nurses office and get the other hosts to either get you home or visit you sometime later. If you were going to avoid them this couldn't be done. Your eyes started feeling heavy again and it felt like your brain was having a hard time thinking of anything. You were hardly sure of how you were going to finish the last hours of school, let alone come up with a brilliant plan to get away from school. The only thing left was to just wait the day out. You would have to pretend that you were fine. You were not sure of how you were going to explain your absence at lunch to Tamaki, so you decided to get to that when it came around.

The halls were still empty so sneaking back into class wasn't much of a problem. The clock inside the classroom said that you still had about ten to fifteen minutes till lunch was over. There was nothing left to be done but pretend to be invisible and wait for everyone to come back. At least the first part wouldn't be hard.

The singular ticks of each second became stronger with your wait. You tapped out little rhythms with your fingers till it got boring. You looked out the window and tried to day dream, or something. When you looked back at the clock it must have had an agenda against you because it said that after each time of looking at it that not much or no time had was so very typical of time to slow down at the wrong moments. What does time have against happy moments? Maybe time was a sadist. Yeah, that made so much more sense.

Forever went by. You thought that you might start obviously aging before any noise came from the hallway. By the time that anyone should come into the class room your hair would be down to your feet and completely white. You pulled your hair around just to check that your hair didn't start changing color now. No, it was still the same color it was when you went to the bathroom. You let out a frustrated groan and flopped around in your seat, kicking your legs and swinging your arms around your head. If time didn't age you, you knew the stress would.

"_I hate everything, and everything hates me today!"_

You thought more about this thought that had appeared in your head and decided it would be your motto for the day.

Some ghostly echos drifted their way into the room. At first they were barely more than a whisper, but after listening harder they became louder. People were finally starting to come back from lunch. The idea occurred to you that it might look odd if you just stared at the first people who walked in, so you took out a book. They filed in slowly, at first it was just one or two kids, then the groupies had to elongate their circles to fit through the door. It was actually rather a shame because you wanted to see if the door would burst like they do in cartoons. Then you heard the obnoxious giggles piling on top of each other. You pulled you book closer to your face and tried to come up with the excuses that you would need in a few moments. You couldn't really hear what Tamaki was saying but you doubted you really wanted to know. Listening very closely, you were able to hear something about self, beauty, talent, and more giggles. You could feel some anxiety growing again so you took deep breaths to evade them. Finally the giggles reached the door and Tamaki, Kyouya, and their entourage took front and center of the classroom's attention. The usual chatter followed:

"And here they come," one of the boys in the back quietly moaned.

"They aren't so bad," said a girl.

"I'd like them better if I was actually able to get a date when dances came around," the same boy grumbled.

"What do you mean? I see you with girls at all of the dances," the girl replied.

"Yeah, the ones who were left over!"

"Hush, he'll hear you. You know Tamaki doesn't like it when the boys talk badly about girls. Any girl."

"Some of them deserve it," You heard him huff. You agreed with him on the last statement.

"Your just jealous that they are top of the batch," said a girl who had recently started listening in.

"Please, I got over trying to compete with them in the grades department ever since Suoh took second two years ago. And we all know that none of us have a chance against Kyouya."

The rest of the conversation continued on, but got duller. The boys normally either tried buttering up to Kyouya and Tamaki or spent the their time secretly insulting them when their backs were turned. None of them would say it to their faces, of course. Both of their families where some of the most powerful. For one thing, Tamaki's dad did run the school, and Kyouya owned...Everything else.

A shadow loomed over your face so you pulled the book in tighter.

"There are better ways of exercising your brain then reading a book upside-down," Kyouya says to you. You started, saw that the words were indeed upside-down, and flipped the book around quickly.

"Where were you at lunch?" Kyouya asked leaning onto your desk casually.

"I brought my own," you lied.

"You said that you were going to join us later," he replied.

"Oh well...I didn't want to deal with the lunch room."

Kyouya didn't get a chance to reply before Tamaki was able to get away from some of the girls and come over to the both of you.

"Yuko, where were you?" he asked. Now they both stood over your desk.

"I brought my own lunch, and I didn't want to deal with the lunch room today," you said fingering one of the pages of your book.

"Are you okay?" Tamaki asked kneeling down next to your desk. You looked up at him for a quick moment. His eyes were big and glassy. You went back to fingering the page.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Tamaki tilted his head to one side. "Why are you reading the history book?"

"Uh. Because I just wanted to check on something," You stuttered.

"Was there something you didn't understand? I'd be happy to help," He said trying to lean his head around to see which part you were reading. You quickly closed the book and set it back into your bag.

"Nope, I was just double checking something. I'm good now."

"Um, okay. Well if you need some help," he said. The teacher come back into the room so he went off to his desk. Kyouya stayed a moment longer and watch Tamaki walk back to his desk. He grinned slightly before he bent down to whisper something in your ear.

"You are a little too big to hide completely under the desks. I won't tell him, but you really shouldn't hide to much from him. He does honestly worry about you." Then he walked back to his desk.

You groaned inwardly and dropped your head down onto your desk with a "thump".


	21. Where the Sky Meets the Earth

You avoided Kyouya for the rest of that day as much as you could. Tamaki tried to talk to you several times and you avoided that as well. After class you tried very hard to book it out of the room as fast as you could. You watched the hands on the clock on the wall and synchronized your own watch to it. The minutes and seconds had to be down the exact tick or else everyone would be able to recover from the ringing of the bell too fast. Counting down the last minutes you packed your bag with haste, and when the distraction called, and everyone's heads snapped up in unison, you were already pulling your bag onto your shoulder. If only you were one of those graceful characters who could have swooped up their belongings and started to take the first strides to the door you would have been out of there with no problems. The strap of your bag caught on the side of your chair. You jerked back with a force that made you take a few steps, almost landing into Tamaki. He saw you almost fall and stretched his arms out to catch you if you fell. You didn't though, to your advantage. He started to ask you if you were okay but you replied before "Yuko are-" where out of his mouth.

"Yeah, I'm fine. The stupid chair," you say to replace his words. You tried to move your feet quickly while also trying to cover as much ground in one stride as you could. The movement gave notice to your thighs and it felt like you were actually moving slower. You thought about running but you knew that would have the same effect as having a laser pointer aimed at your forehead. You dealt with the strides and soon the edge of the room was passing by. Everyone else was still gathering their things at this point, you knew because you could head the rustling of papers. Other class rooms were starting to erupt into after school noise so you ran and never looked back.

You tried to make the hallways pass in a blur but they didn't. The walls only pulled into pink "light-speed" vectors at your peripheral vision. When the floor gave way to steps you practically jumped down the majority. You stumbled a few times when your feet only caught the very edge of a single stair so you ended up sliding down more stairs then you had jumped. It wasn't that problematic though because it did quicken your descend. Once at the bottom of the very last flight you swerved at the last second as you caught the bulbous ending of the rail. The front door wasn't too far ahead, maybe a couple hundred feet. Your breathing was extremely labored, and you could feel a heavy thump in not only your pained chest but also your neck, ears, and behind your temples. Your hands and feet didn't escape the adrenaline and you only hoped that they would hold out long enough for you to reach raw daylight. A few more seconds were allowed to pass for you to get the metallic taste from the back of your itching throat.

It was the last stretch. You imaged that this was one of the greatest moments of your life. The static in your ears was taken as the roar of a crowd, your shoes squealed against the polished floors, and as the doors weren't approaching as fast as you wouldn't have liked you forced yourself to think past the stitch in your side. The sun streamed in from the windows adjacent to the door and you concentrated on that. A few more strides, that was all you needed, just a few more. Then you turned sideways so you wouldn't smack your face against the door. Your feet stopped moving but your momentum made you soar and your body crumbled against the pink painted wood. The thump reverberated off of every stone on the hall and a few of the servants', teachers', and administrators' heads moved attuned. The sweat from your hands greased the handles and made you fumble. Using both hands the doors were pulled back. When enough room had been made you snaked out the crevasse.

Half of the terrible work had been done, all that was left was to get home without limos and blond heads going past you. You pulled your jacket in closer to your neck and face and walked briskly. The cold left a stinging down your throat and around your face, but it helped your thumping school grounds still made you nervous but there was nothing to be done about the long walk to the front gate. The air outside was starting to get over the chill of the early winter; in a few months the first blooms of spring would appear. The ground was covered in a dirty paling white that only just concealed the brown grass beneath. The trees had been twiggy for months now, and the rose bushes where walls of snow and thorns. The grounds made you very happy. While the interior of Ouran maintained its pink splendor- always warm and plush, always marble and high vaulted, always overflowing with the perfumes of silk, blossoms, and rich spices- it was never real. The outside was more to you then any of the chai, green tea, peppermint, and sugar that Ouran could offer. You had always wondered why it was that classes were never outside during the winter. Many kids complained that the cold was terrible and they preferred stone fireplaces. You too liked fireplaces, but the brutal cold was more honest. Outside the seasons bared witness to reality. At this moment, it was just the thing you needed.

Far ahead of you limos started to pull around the long curved driveways toward the doors and sides of the buildings where their passengers would soon await. The way to the front gate stretched and rounded up, making the distance seem longer. You skipped ahead at a fairly quick speed, hoping to ignore everything else. Drawing in most of your breath then exhaling, you prayed that maybe your powers would activate as they should. For once you wanted to actually make that work when you wanted it to. The area behind you slowly increased in volume, and just as you were but a few hundred feet from the front gate, the first cars began passing you by. Every time the sound of tires hitting the pavement almost reached you, you stiffened until they moved right along. You finally passed the gates. Once taking a step past them you turned around, held the bars, and leaded up against them. Finally, relief. You straightened back out, turned toward your home, and started the long walk.

No unexpected visitors awaited you in your living room. You could have cried from the joy of it. In fact, nobody ever came by. Not the next day, or the next. A week flew by, and as each day rolled over into the next the panic of that first was never quite as intense. The day after you had tried to hide you had expected someone to question where you had been, but no one ever did. The hosts did as you asked and emailed you two days after the note about the plans that they wanted. Neither Tamaki nor Kyouya bothered you much in class, and they never asked. That was when you started to feel suspicious.

Nobody? Really? Nobody was saying anything. Tamaki smiled when you both happened to catch each other, but he made no other attempts to talk to you besides usual casualties. Kyouya was silent. You never saw much of the other hosts during school hours. During lunch after the first week you decided that you might be able to leave the homeroom. In the dinning hall you found places to sit by yourself and you had no intruders. You happen to see the twins one of these days and became stiff when they noticed you too. They looked at you, paused, smiled and waved, then sat with the other hosts. You heard you name called out by Hunny a few times as well. When you turned to look you saw him jumping and waving. The few times it happened he ran over to you, gave you a quick hug then let go to jump up onto Mori's shoulders. Mori would pick up his little friend, smile at you, then turn back toward the hosts. You noticed after a few times as well that Haruhi avoided looking straight at you. If she did catch you watching her, she would make a pained smile. In her expression there were so many things, but she held them back and sat with the rest.

Two more weeks went by. The room set ups were done in the morning before anyone else was able to get there, just like you wanted. After the way that you had seen everyone treat you during lunch, or any other time they saw you in the halls for that matter, they left you in peace. They were never rude of course, that just wasn't a host's style. You could also tell that they were being extremely nice in their set themes. Before you had turned back into a recluse you heard from your little corner all of their plans. They were elaborate and grand, but the ones since you note they were almost dull. Most days it was just the typical chairs and tables. The few times that they had planned they simply asked you to put up snow flakes, maybe a few color schemes, but nothing more than that. You longed to rejoin them but was never able to gain the courage to face Kyouya. You also knew that if you came back you would most likely have to explain what you were doing for some weeks that you couldn't perform you duties that you had previously. Every time you thought about showing your face to them your stomach rippled, and if you entertained the thought longer the ripples would turn into waves, escalating into storms.

You uncle had called you for other events, which you went to. You assured him that you still planned on going through with his plans. When you told him you made sure to smile wide, make your voice go higher, and blush. From what you could tell he was honestly happy. He told you many times during those weeks that we was glad that the plan had worked out. He told you it wasn't because he wanted to get rid of you- your comment from the car obviously cut deep- he just wasn't sure how to do anything else. He told you he knew that he couldn't make a very good father figure, but he hoped that he could be a provider. You understood and felt a passion not to mess this up. He said that while he might not understand how to connect with you, he might as well use the only thing he did know, which is to say his business sense. You couldn't blame him for that, at least it was a step. He called you sometimes for other balls and social events. You played the role you had been given the best you thought you could manage. After a few times it felt that doing it for a life time might not be so bad. Your feelings weren't exactly shut up or numb, they just shifted. After a while your uncle would called you out for breakfast during the weekends. The first few times were painfully awkward, but he then called you out more often. He asked you to sit with him during dinner now as Mim and Shima were gone. He asked you about what you liked, what you normally ate for dinner, the usual small talk. You uncle started to feel less like an unknown landlord and more like an acquaintance. Maybe that's why it was easier to play your role during the other balls.

January passed.

You thought that maybe they would allow you to do this until graduation. Everything conformed into a nice dream-like state. You worked on the host's room in the morning, lived through school, came home and did homework, and ate dinner with your uncle. The repetitious cycle hazed your panic over and soon a lovely fog worked it's way around everything you did. You art work even started to show it. After a few times of talking with your uncle, he finally asked to see them. When you had brought some of your better works to the table one of the nights he was shocked.

"Honestly Yuko, they are...beautiful," he said. You couldn't help but smile.

You painted more because he kept asking to see other ones and you didn't want to disappoint. The works were nothing like you had been making while you were close with the hosts. Those months with the hosts had turned your artwork into vibrant forests and scenes, laughing people or quiet companies, either way they were fantastically thaumaturgic. It didn't upset you in any way that you noticed the change in your work, you took it as you were moving past the childish stage of your life, moving towards the grown up world. The world of children are always over exaggerated anyways, right?

You expected that your new life would have to be more down to earth anyways. You didn't expect that being married to Kyouya would give you the chance to be in the clouds. Where did the sky meet the earth anyways? The "family-gathering" day when you were little, when you tried to tell about the colors in the sky, there was also no knowing where the sky meet the earth. That deep horizon was where you were. Between the blur. Life was starting to finally look up.

A week and a half into February you got an email saying that the room needed to be decorated with hearts and flowers. "LOTS OF HEARTS, FLOWERS, AND RED!" The note read. "Must give an air of the holiday. Be creative as you can," it continued. You smiled. Challenge accepted. Who did they think you were? If they wanted creativity they better hold onto their unicorns and talking trees. It was with this haughtiness that you picked out supplies, sent the bill back to Kyouya, and went into the room to decorate just a few days later. The early morning was still your call time to the room and you finished everything without a problem.

You had made your own paper hearts and hung them around the room randomly. They had poetical sayings and white trim. Then with red and white streamers, you laced a web above the heads of future visitors that would morph into a heart shape over the individual hosts seating areas. The couches where changed to some more comfortable deep brown ones. You laid heart shaped covers over the arms. The tables were also switched to glass. Finally, to get rid of the bright ceiling and floors, you laid plush brown rugs down and adjusted the lighting to be softer. You pulled out mint green tea cups, set up the cakes on their racks, and placed golden candle -holders with white candles, in the hosts supplies room with notes instructing how they were to use the candles for any extra lighting the room might need, and where they could find more cakes and treats if they needed them. After that you headed off for class.

The day could have almost been perfect if right after class Tamaki hadn't approached you after. You had picked up all of your things just as you had done all the other days. They had left you to yourself so much that his presence made you almost as shy as when you first meet.

"Yuko, want to come by the club after school?" He asked suddenly. He had his bag slung over his shoulder and Kyouya followed up right behind him.

"Why?" you questioned back disinterested. You felt like you pulled back from him so you leaned forward just a little in case you did.

He looked hurt for a moment and replied whiningly, "Well, if you don't want to you don't have to. I just thought that you might. You haven't been come by the club for a while." His eyes widened out to large glassy disks, his forehead just barely tugging between the eyebrows, and one thin section of his hair drooped down in front of one of his eyes. Then there was that stuttering lip that protruded ever so slightly.

"Well, I never really hung out in the room to begin with," you said trying to lighten your bluntness.

"Having you in the room, in that corner or otherwise, is company 're apart of the club, and today is a big day for us as hosts," Kyouya said in Tamaki's place.

"I didn't think I contributed that much to the club room by my actual being there. The other guests seemed scared of me when I sat in the corner. Besides I'm not a host. I just decorate, I don't participate," you aimed at Kyouya.

You pulled your bag over your shoulder and avoided eye contact.

"Wouldn't decorating be participating?" Kyouya challenged.

"You know what I mean." You started walking out.

"Yuko, have you ever seen what effect your sets have on the costumers?"

"I don't really pay attention to them that much." You were almost at the door, but they also followed you.

Suddenly Tamaki placed his hand on your shoulder, stopping you just shy of the frame.

"I understand now," he said pulling his chin down to almost touch his chest. One of his fists clenched up near his face then he looked up at you. "That settles things!" He said excitedly. His demeanor changed as his hair flipped back into the perfect twist that make the girls so happy. "Come on let's go," He yelled swinging his arm wide making a trail of flowers and sparkles. He took a hold of your arm and started walking in the direction of the club room.

"What?" You struggled slightly but you didn't want to send him into a corner of his own, not when he was attached to your arm.  
>"You don't feel like you've been appreciated in the club because you never payed any attention. If you did then you would realize just how important you are," he said almost too loud, waving his arm around again in the melodramatic form only he can do. He pulled you by your arm and Kyouya played wing-man by taking your other.<p>

"There is a different way of doing that besides dragging me to the room," you said desperately.

"We tell you all the time how much we love your designs, and they obviously haven't gotten through to you," Tamaki smothered. "The only way for you to recognize your own achievement is to hear it from the guests for yourself," he signed mournfully.

"Then have them send me a card," you grumble.

"Stop complaining, you aren't getting out of this. You've been avoiding the club for some time now, so the only way for you to get back into the scene is to jump right in," Kyouya said cruelly.

"This isn't swimming. Besides I don't think that they would say the cheesy things you say to my face. They are there for you, not to boost my ego."

Tamaki suddenly pulled back. "I don't say cheesy things," he said putting his hand on his chest.

"I might as well make crackers and wine available at your table," you almost said, but Kyouya stopped you.

"What you say pleases our guests. Hurry up, we are going to be late."

Tamaki grabbed your arm again and did as Kyouya asked. Still you could hear him grumbling about what he said wasn't "cheesy", and his face flickered between the pout he had started in the classroom and his dignified nature. You all got the the room and they both pushed you inside. The other hosts were already in some of their finer suits, and when they saw you they piled on top of you with hugs. The twins reached you first and sandwiched you between them.

"Yuko, you came back!-We thought you were getting tired of us or something," they said as they rubbed their heads all over your face. You could hear Hunny somewhere around the twins trying to get in and express his love for you.

"Gentlemen," Tamaki called, "We still have to set up somethings, let Yuko go. Hikaru, Kaoru, you messed up her hair." Then he walked over while changing out of his ouran coat to the new ones. You stood there as he tried to pat down your hair and fix it into the original smooth low pony-tail that it always was. You looked at him, and his mouth pressed into a line.

"I've got a brush she can use," Haruhi called out.

"Good job, Haruhi! Help Yuko," he said. Then he walked into the storage room with the twins to get the tea sets and candles, scolding them more.

Haruhi handed you the brush and you pulled your elastic out of your hair.

"Thanks," you mumble.

"Any time," she said and hugged you quickly. "Being left here with out someone to talk to has been.."She sighed and shook here head.

"Hell?" you asked smiling.

"Nearing," she replied. "Don't tell Tamaki I said that." She was called from the storage room so she hurried back to do her share.

After you brushed your hair back into place you walked back over to your old corner and placed you bag and jacket there. Once the hosts had set out the trays and candles they refused to let you be. Tamaki told them what he had said back in homeroom and they joined in. They made a deal, in fact. You had to sit at each host's table for at least fifteen minutes to hear what the guests thought, then you were be left alone.

"Deal?" Tamaki cocked his head to the side and smiled brightly. You thought, however, that there was a slight shadow.  
>"I hate you all," you glared.<p>

The twins laughed.

"Just for that-" said one.

"You get to-" said the other.

"Sit with us first!" They cried in unison. They pushed you into one of the chairs near their table while you squirmed.  
>"Shouldn't I get to pick which one I want to go to first?" you asked.<p>

"If you leave that chair before our fifteen minutes are up- We'll tie you to it," was their reply.

"That's not fair," Hunny sniffled.

"I'll go to yours next," you said to stay the water-works.

"Okay!" Hunny twirled.

"That means that you agree to the plan," Tamaki said smugly, poking you.

"No it doesn't," you stuttered. "I hate you all!"

"You hate ALL of us Yuko-chan?" Hunny suddenly appeared near your arm.

"No, not you sweetie. Wait..." They gathered around you in the chair.

"Do you agree or don't you?" asked the twins leaning over you.

"Fine I agree. Now get away!" You stood up and pushed them from your personal space.

"Oh, she left the chair!" The twins cried.

There was some commotion on deciding whether your leaving the chair was worth of punishment. Haruhi stuck to your side saying that if they hadn't been leaning over you, you wouldn't have had to push them away- and besides, they didn't give you the chance to say whether or not you were going to sit with them first. After your trial they agreed that you wouldn't be fully tied to the chair. "_Fully" _tied to the chair, yes, because the twins wouldn't budge on the fact that you still deserved some of the blame. When the guests stared coming in the twins had just gotten done tying one of your ankles to the leg of the chair. They had given you some room by giving the rope about two feet of slack so you could stand up if you wanted, but you would have to drag the chair if you wanted to go anywhere.

The girls came giggling, whispering, and bouncing. Several of them brought chocolates, some of which presented theirs to the host of their choosing before any of the others could. The hosts lead the way back to their tables, the girls finding seats, and the flirting began.

Three girls sat themselves around the twins' table and looked at you and your rope oddly. The twins introduced you, and one of the girls asked why you were tied up.

"She's special," Hikaru winked.

"Don't say it like that!" you moaned and slumped down in your seat.

The twins gathered on either side of you. One pulled put his hand under your chin and lifted it. The other slipped his hand down your back to push you to sitting straighter. On either side, their free hand was used to lean on the chair handles.

"You are special," grinned Kaoru.

"Admit it, you're enjoying yourself," whispered Hikaru.

You squeaked and your back muscled locked up. You flailed your arms about and shouted "no" repeatedly until they were well enough away. They of course laughed themselves almost into a fit, and the girls swooned and cried that they weren't as special. At hearing the girls' cries the boys automatically stood between the the girls so there was one at each of their sides, dropping their arms over a girl's shoulder, somehow also having a rose in each hand, and said that the other ladies would get a special present of their own. This was all done in unison of course. And it worked, because the girls forgot their complaints and soon wiggled and danced in their chairs. You observed completely unamused.

"Does this mean you'll be looking after them first?" Kaoru asked suddenly, eyes watering, looking deeply hurt at his brother.  
>"You know I'll always have time to tie you up Kaoru." Hikaru pulled his brother in by taking his hand. You thought that the girls might pee themselves, and you melted down the seat and under the table.<p>

"How was this supposed to help me feel appreciated?" you whimpered and banged your head on your knees.  
>"Oh, right," said the twins in unison.<p>

One struggled to pull you out from under the table while the other actual explained why you were tied up.  
>"You're the one whose been decorating the room." gasped one of the girls. The twin had finally managed to pull you out, picked you up slightly, and dropped you back into the chair.<p>

"Yeah," you said grudgingly, puffing your cheeks out at the twin.

"Well, you do a beautiful job," one girl said leaning over the table.

"I wish that I got to spend extra time with them," said another.

"How did you get them to give you the job?" asked the third.

"I tripped over them and locked myself in a closet."

The twins scoffed.

"She has some really amazing art works and we needed a consultant," said the twins.

"By 'consultant' they mean full-time decorator," you mumble and one of the twins smacked your arm. Somehow that turned into a kicking war with them under the table when the other girls weren't paying attention.

Thankfully, the rest of your fifteen minutes were used up with the twins' attention on each other and the girls.

Next you moved to Hunny as promised, which involved less rope. You were able to sit next to Mori, who would nudge you a little bit when one of the girls started "oohing" and "awing" over the decorations.

On and on you were passed around from host to host every fifteen minutes, which started to feel longer and longer because the girls basically all said the same things. They loved the decorations, it gave the mood, but their concern was mostly on the boys. The one thing you did learn from it was that you could very well tone down on the decorations and stick to lighting, because it seemed to be the way in which the girls perceived the boys that made their experience enjoyable.

At last, on the final stretch of your time, you sat with Kyouya. You let him serve you some cakes even though you had eaten at least two over with Hunny, one with Haruhi, and maybe one and a half with Tamaki. You asked for extra refills on your tea.  
>You looked down every couple of seconds at your black and white watch, not even paying attention to the girls any more. You heard something about the decoration that sounded slightly more original, but didn't care to listen.<p>

You looked up, smiled, and made polite chitchat. At least the girls who sat with Kyouya could hold a conversation  
>You looked down at your watch again. Kyouya walked around to refill your tea cup again.<p>

"Five minutes," he whispered to you.

Then four...

Then three...

Then two...

Then one...

The second hand flicked over to the twelve mark. You smiled and let out a sign of relief.

"I'm sorry, you are going to have to excuse me," you say sweetly. Kyouya got up and moved your chair back for you.  
>"Thank you," you say even more sweetly while batting your eyelashes at him, and gave a little curtsy. You stopped for a moment to look at the other tables, which had momentarily paused to look at you, and beamed your smiled toward the rest of them. The club was almost over so you pranced your way over to your corner, swaying your dress around. Plopping down onto the floor you giggled slightly and stretched out over your space.<p>

_"Free at least Motha-Effa!" _

Then you rolled around and flung your limps about.

Curling deep into the corner, you took out a book and read the rest of the time away.

The girls left, some still dropped off chocolates to the hosts, and finally it all ended.

"You already gave me two boxes, Tamaki-sempai," you heard Haruhi say.

"Can you really have too many?" Tamaki asked lovingly.

"Yes," Haruhi said factually.

Then the twins also rained their expensive chocolates down on her as well, which remind Hunny about his, which soon had Haruhi being buried under a pile of imported chocolates. She complained about the usefulness of such sweets amidst her drowning.

"Hey."

You looked up from your book. Kyouya stood casually over you.

"No chocolates for Haruhi?" you asked.

"I decreased the interest on her debt. I thought that might be more special for her than candy." You both looked over at Haruhi trying to dig her way out of the mountain pile. You nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that is a more thoughtful," you reply. He still stood over you.

"Is there something I can help you with?" you ask.

"Do you want to go on a date with me tonight?" he ask.

You blinked, then blinked again.

"Would I like to what?" you ask confused.

"Would you like to go on a date tonight? I already have some reservations at a few places," he stated.

"Date. Not as in it's Tuesday, but as in we go somewhere and act like a couple?" you clarify.

"We are supposed to be a couple after graduation," he said. "Plus," he continued, "We haven't talked about this arrangement since that ball a couple of months ago."

You felt your throat cracking and swallowed so you wouldn't feel it bleed.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Of course. What would you need to talk about though?" You scurried to pick up your things, which he bend down to help you collect.

"All of it," he replied. You nodded quickly. He looked at you, almost like he expected you to say something.

"Y-yes?" You ask.

"Does you uncle have anything planned for you tonight?"

"Why would he?" The question struck you as odd. He pushed his glasses back into place and calculated something.

"Today is your birthday, Yuko," he said expectantly.

"Yeah," you say still confused. The two of you looked at each other awkwardly, you obviously not getting what he was trying to hint at.

"Alright. Then consider this as a birthday present from me,"he concluded, getting up and helping you up as well. You wondered why he thought that your birthday was supposed to be something special. You stiffened for a moment and thought about the fuss that other people make on their birthdays.

"Do the other hosts know about this," you whisper pulling his tie down urgently. He coughed and pulled your hand from his tie.  
>"Don't you think they would have told you if they did?" His voice was slightly husky. You almost fainted for joy.<br>"Yeah, they would have," you quickly agree. "Let's not tell them," you conclude.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because then they would have a big scene, and I don't need another unexpected party at my house."

Kyouya shrugged. "It's your birthday, I suppose."

You slid your way stealthily past the other hosts to avoid them asking questions. Kyouay said his goodbyes to his friends while you slipped out the door, after which you ran a little down the hallway.

On your way home you got a text from Kyouya saying that he would be by later that evening to pick you up. Understanding finally hit you as you realized what you were going to be doing tonight. Everything you had been building yourself up to would come into action tonight. You had promised you were going to make this work, and you had to make Kyouya believe that you wanted this. You had to make him forget your spirit at the ball. You wanted this now. If not for you, then for your uncle.

(Please remember to comment. Honestly. If my story seem weird and you don't understand you need to say something. Right now, Elle is about the only voice for my readers. The reason I'm writing is to tell a story to you but if what I am saying isn't coming through then I'm not doing my job. However, I can't fix it if nobody says anything. I'll just keep typing away thinking you all understand.)

((*Evil laugh* now for all of you who are reading this in the month of February of 2014 you get to wait just like all of my other readers. Congratulations on being caught up. Just letting you know, the time difference between the last four chapters for Quotev readers was about 4 weeks per chapter update. The next up date won't take me nearly that long because I've already gotten it somewhat worked. However, after that, I don't know how long it will take me.

For all of you time travelers...Boo. You don't have to suffer as much.))


	22. A Ghost in Sheep's Clothing

_(Before we start this chapter, I just thought all of you should know who have gotten this far...ya'll really suck and leaving me feed back D: Honestly, 4 reviews right now. I love you people who left a comment, you are my favorite people, and I shall not haunt you.)_

What do people wear for dates? Really that depends on what they are trying to accomplish. You were unsure of what you wanted out of this night. Did you want to fall in love? Did you want to win his heart regardless of what you felt? Did you want it to be more professional? Did you want to appear sexy, or smart, or classy, or all three? The problem was you weren't really sure how to make those styles work. You actually didn't know if you had anything in your closet that said any of those things. What you wore on your free time was solely based on how you felt, not really about how you looked. You remembered several times that Mim and Shima had made fun of you for wearing "weird" clothing, but you never found anything wrong with them. When you got home you looked through your closet several times and picked out everything you were sure that other girls wore when going out romantically. Romance was what you were heading for tonight right? Or was it more like a business transaction? Actually wouldn't it be more like a party because this was supposed to be your present from Kyouya for your birthday? You still didn't understand why you had to have anything for your birthday. You hadn't had anything for your birthday since you moved out into the backyard. This wasn't because your uncle didn't get you anything, you just stopped reminding him when your birthday was. Over all it had been about six years since you had celebrated your birthday.

There were so many things to choose from, so many shirts, pants, dressed, and skirts. You scooped up piles of clothing and laid them out on your floor in sections so you could see. Standing on your bed you mentally went through the different styles and outfits that you could wear, still trying to figure out what theme you were headed for. As you made decisions you would get off the bed, pick up the cloths you thought wouldn't work, and stood back up on your bed. This should have narrowed the clothing choice over time but you kept replacing items thinking that you might have made a mistake. This went on for an hour before you got out your laptop and started looking up clothing advice.

You looked up several sites, videos, and images just to get a feel of what you were supposed to do. One dating tip that came up often was to "dress for the occasion." You picked up your phone and texted Kyouya for the location of the date. His response was not comforting.

_"Where are we going tonight?"_ Was what you had asked.

"_I made a few reservations "_He replied. You glared at your little screen.

"_Where"_ You texted back.

"_In the city_." You wondered if he was being purposefully irritating or he was trying to play up his type.

"_Where! I have to know what to wear." _You hoped that this would get a precise answer out of him. He didn't text back for some time, which make your adrenaline production spike. Your phone buzzed and you pressed the button as fast as you could.

"_Dress warmly." _You almost threw your phone.

"_Why won't you just tell me so I can pick something?" _

His answer came back faster than his last

"_It's going to be a surprise."_

__"I hate surprises."__

__"It's a birthday present. They are typically surprises."__

__"Are you really not going to tell me?"__

__"No."__

__"Fine."__

With "warmly" as your only hint you pulled everything that wasn't quite warm from the pile. This still left many options and you didn't know what to do next.

The internet was used again for advice, but once again it didn't help too much. You pulled out your phone again and texted Haruhi.

"_I know this is a little bit weird, but what would you wear on a date?" _

"_Who asked you out?" _She asked instead. You felt like you were running out of time.

"_Let's not get not get into that. What would you wear?"_

__"I don't know. Hikaru took me on a date early this year, but it was the summer."__

"_Well, what would you wear if you had a date tonight?_"

"_Where are you going?_"

"_I don't know. I was just told to dress warmly._"

"_Then dress warmly I suppose._" You sighed with frustration and typed your reply back quickly.

"_That doesn't help._"

"_Since it is a date, dress warm but nicer. If that helps more._"

"_Actually that does._"

You thought, "nice and warm" was a style that you could do. Of course it couldn't be "comfortable warm" per-say, but at least what you might see on a poster. Basically how people in movies always dressed. You looked back at the clothing pile and once again removed everything that wouldn't fit the "nice warm" look. This left very few things and the final decision was made. You pick those cloths up and placed them back on your bed. The rest of the wardrobe was thrown back into your closet to be reorganized at a later time.

You now had a few other things to worry about. Jewelry had always seems almost impracticable to you but you had a few things for occasions. Your jewelry box was small and ill-used so when you opened the lip a cloud of dust greeted you. There wasn't much to choose from, so you grabbed the only bracelet that you liked immediately and a random pair of earrings. You threw things on the bed with the cloths.

The very last step had been one that you dreaded the most because you really were reaching the point that you knew the least about. Staring in the vanity for a few minutes didn't help you. The internet was used again to help you find some hair style and makeup that could be used and still within your ability. Many of the styles made you wish you had a straightener, but the only thing you owned was a curling iron. The makeup you had was also limited, but thankfully you at least had concealer, mascara, eyeliner, and one set of eyeshadow. You couldn't find any lip gloss so you thought that maybe if you kept putting on this nice tasting chap-stick you had it might have the same effect.

First you trying curling your hair a little like the other girls did but your hair was slightly too thick and the curls wouldn't make that doll look. When you brushed through it, it made this nice little gentle waves that blended into the line of the pony-tail your hair was almost always in. You sprayed hair spray into it hoping it would stay. The makeup was more awkward because you had to redo it a few times because you kept making the eyeliner far too high up, then you almost got it in your eye, then it was too thick, too thin, and finally after so many trial and error you found a line that looked decent. You watched a few videos on hints on how to do the eyeshadow. You didn't have any of the brushes that they talked about, so you just used your finger. You did as they said: you put a darker brown color near the outside of your eye and an almost white color in the corner of your eye and on your brow bone. After this was done you smudged it all with your finger till they blended. You had to go back a few times because you thought you had put on too much, realized that you just weren't used to makeup so it looked heavier on you, than had to reapply it. The mascara was perhaps the easiest because you just lined your eyelashes up with the brush and blinked.

When you pulled away and looked in the mirror it thought that you could almost pass as a girl. When you put your glasses back on you sighed because it seemed like nobody would be able to tell that you were wearing makeup anyway.

Now was the time to actually get dressed. You now realized that you should have dressed first then put on the makeup, but it was too late. You dug around in your closet for a bag you could use and found a simple black messenger styled bag. You put your phone, brick, wallet, keys, makeup, and brush into the bag. You found some boots that you thought would look fine.

The time for the big reveal had come. You stood with your back to the full length mirror you had, took a deep breathe, and turned. The sight was something you hadn't seen before. Sure you had worn dresses and such, but this was your first time making yourself beautiful. Your hair was down and gently curled. It had been a long time since you had done this and you thought it made your face look funny. Your face was sculpted by your bangs, which had been swept off to the side, and new ringlets. The shine in your hair looked fuller. The makeup added to it certainly didn't make it look like you. Behind your hair you could see the glint of the thin golden hoops behind your hair -definitely a new experience. You wore a dark green sweater that had blue tints to it, but over it you wore double breasted maroon coat, and a beige woven scarf. You had simple black skinny jeans that almost looked like leggings, and knee high dark brown boots that slipped on. The bag hung nicely on your shoulder, and on your wrist was a gold-toned leaf band bracelet.

You wondered how Kyouya was supposed to recognize you. Just by looking in the mirror the only way you knew who you were was because of your large round glasses. You had to pull your eyes away and you blinked quickly to keep your makeup from smearing.

You hated it. Every curl, every protruding eyelash, was an alien. These were your cloths, your styles, your hair and eyes, and yet you had no idea who you were.

You bite your tongue and forced yourself to look back in the mirror. You squared your shoulders and held your head high. This was the wife that Kyouya had to have. He couldn't have a recluse, he couldn't have someone whose hair was always in an unstyled low pony-tail. He had to have a woman who would help keep him powerful in the business world. You were of no use to him by your wit or smarts -of that you were convinced of. You had no power to offer to him that he didn't already have besides the one only a woman can give.

It was just one more step into that dream you had. You smiled, then you knew as it froze it would get easier to hold it up. This was just the start, the first step, toward becoming that perfect bride.

You pulled your phone out of the bag and checked the time. Kyouya wouldn't be there for a little while, and you had to get use to sitting, standing, walking, smiling, and laughing in your new skin. This wasn't to be a chameleon, it was a tattoo. Maybe it would even become an illustration. You thought about going to your art room to help you relax, but you couldn't face all of your paintings as you were. You were sure that they wouldn't know who you were either and would run you out. Instead you walked out of your house completely and traversed the large yard.

The text finally came.

"_I am almost there._"

"_I'll be waiting in the main house."_

After hitting the send button you stared at your screen for a few moments just trying to think if you were still really prepared. In just a little while you were going to have to face Kyouya, show him what you could be, and hope that he liked it. Then a thought dawned on you: what if he didn't like it? There would only be a few reasons why he wouldn't want what you had tried to turn yourself into. You suddenly wondered if you had done your hair right. Maybe he didn't like the simplified look. What if he liked a massive up-do? Your hands reached down automatically to tugg the curls around your shoulders. When your hands made contact with your jacket you looked down at your outfit. What if you were too casual? Or maybe, he would want a girl who wouldn't be afraid of heals and a skirt. That's what all the other girls wore when they went on dates. Girls where skirts.

You groan and think to yourself that you must have messed up, the problem was you didn't have time to change. You thought that maybe you could call him and tell him you might be a few minutes. However that wouldn't be a good impression for a future wife to make. Kyouya was a man who was punctual, he was very precise, and his wife would have to match. You smoothed down the collar of your jacket in the same manner as if you were patting your own back. Your stomach was so tight you knew that you wouldn't be able to eat anything if he was taking you out to dinner.

With the panic attack ceasing you made your way to the house.

There was not much that you could do but stand in front of the doors. You told the footman that you were expecting someone to pick you up when he started at the sight of you. He kept glancing your way every few seconds as you paced the main hall. You looked up a few time at him and he would quickly look away and blush.

Seconds moved slower than they should have, that or Kyouya's car moved slower than it should have, because after a few laps around the entry way you wanted to play 'Jeopardy' music. You wondered if maybe you were just walking fast and that was the reason way you had completed so many back and forth motions. There didn't seem to be any evidence of a trench being made in the floor so you couldn't have been going that fast. You looked back over to the door and the footman blushed again. You weren't quite sure what his deal was that he should feel obligated to not make eye contact with you. After all, he never had acted this way before. Maybe it was because weren't in the house much before. But, if that was the case, shouldn't he have gotten use to you after the past month of your presence at dinner with your uncle? No, you didn't want to make yourself more nervous so the any further effort on his behavior was put onto the back burner and lite aflame.

A loud low gong made an appearance suddenly by shaking the front door and everything connected with it. You jumped back from it, holding a position that you would have liked to be an offensive one but Hunny would have laughed at the pathetic attempt, and made a squeal. The noise continued on, made its entry known to the granite flooring, pillars around the room, and the lighting. After it could be heard knocking on the doors and walls of the halls beyond, trying to make sure that someone answered its call and the visitor who summoned its announcement. Because you were already expecting to answer the door its grand entrance worked its way into your own body and abused your eardrum like it did the walls. You tried to use your hands to cut off its call to only minor success.

The footman laughed.

He pulled back the door and you started to move in the same direction then realized what you were doing. You forced your legs to move toward the area visible from the doorway. Putting one foot in front of the other in much the same way a baby would, you crept to the proper position.

Kyouya stood walked in looking like he normally did. He had on a black suit, the jacket of which was buttoned up. Under that was a dark periwinkle waistcoat, and a white shirt. In his hand was a small decorative box. His face was very self-assured and in a half smirk until he saw you.  
>"Yuko?" His started and his composure was almost broken, but then he blinked and it returned to the original.<p>

You looked behind you, startled yourself, and slowly turned your head back to your date.

"Uh...yeah?" said your intelligence.

He stepped past the door frame and both of you walk closer until you an arm's length a part. He eyed you all over and seemed to like what he saw.

"This must have taken a lot of effort for you" He observed.

"Oh it did," you said uncomfortably.

"I'm flattered." He stayed emotionless.

"You should be, I don't normally try this hard." You tried to place in your regular cynical and sarcastic tone, and you weren't sure that it worked.

"You would probably look like this more often if you cared a little. I'm sure with time it wouldn't be as hard." He half smirked this time.

"Have you ever tried wearing makeup and using a curling iron?" You challenged.

"I've watched the twins do the same to Haruhi, and they were able to do it quite well." His smirk grew, most likely enjoying teasing you.

"Well my mom isn't a fashion designer. However, it is a little saddening that some boys would know how to do makeup better and faster than me." Panic was edging its way into your back and limbs. You felt like the blood in your face was retreating- the deserters- falling down, down, down, just like you wanted to go.  
>"You did very well for your first time." The tone he was using was something you weren't used to. If you didn't know that you were being forced to marry him you might have blushed. Actually you did blush but it was more from the blood returning to your face.<p>

You tried to laugh.

"Out of ten, what would you give me?"

He looked over you one more time then answered.

"A six."

"That's a failing grade," You said a little disheartened on the inside.

"Five is an average, and you are above that," He said, somewhat smiling. It was nice, not his usual smirk he wore when and if he showed emotion. He then held out his present before you could argue.

"Here," He said, awkwardly in a way.

"What is it?"

"You're present." He took your hand, faced it up, and placed it in.

"I thought this date was my present. No double dipping."

"This entire date was your present, and the box is a part of the date."

"Fine." You opened the box with care, tugging at the bow on the top so you didn't rip anything. All of the wrapping eventually came off and you lifted the lid. Inside was a little gold rustic barrette with a rose design in the middle.

"Oh," You stared at the object. It was very pretty, and simple enough to fit you.

Kyouya took the barrette out of the box, swept some of your hair back, and clipped the barrette in. He let his hand drop and you brought your hand up to inspect the new style.

"Thanks," You said looking down.

"I thought it might suit you," He said. You wanted to say something back but any of the wit you had been trying to muster left you in a hurry.

"Alright, well, I guess we should get going," You said and started for the door.

He held out his arm for you, so you stopped for a moment, thought about it, and figured you should. You placed your hand lightly around his arm while still not looking at him. Both of you walked to the door and on your way out you told the footman that if your uncle asked about you to tell him you were on a date with Kyouya. The footman nodded and shut the door with a heavy thud after you.

The car waited for the both of you and you felt bad about making the driver sit there while you failed at flirting. You hoped that the mic in the car would be muted because you didn't want him to hear what you might have to continue. The driver waited patiently as you walked closer and opened the door. You slide in first with Kyouya following after, then that door too was also shut. The only exits you had were now permanently gone. Now you had to go forward.

The car moved forward and it felt like your body wanted to stay behind as it fell deeper and deeper into the seat. When your body finally caught up you were able to breath. After all, it is rather hard to take in oxygen when your lungs are waving goodbye. The car moved further and further away from the mansion, and you turned around and stared after the shrinking property. You hadn't even left the grounds and yet you still felt as though with each meter that the car took there were kilometer gaps between a past and present. You were leaving everything behind, you had too; time moved so slowly during those first few seconds (or was it minutes?) and still you couldn't make your brain recognize the change.

It was like when you first moved to Japan. You stared out the back window of the car as you left your home in America in the same way. You remembered the large streets and houses of an American suburb just rolling away like the ending credits of a movie. The words moved so fast and yet so slow that you were able to read all of the names of the directors, actors, producers, editors, and all but at the end you couldn't remember some of the names. The ones that were funny or familiar you could recall: you remembered getting into the car and pulling away from your home while holding onto a dear stuffed animal...pulling up to the airport...the lady serving the drinks on the plane smelt pretty...the man holding the sign with your name on it...pulling up to the mansion...your uncle showing you your room...the first time you tried to make friends. All of it should have taken a life time, and it did. It all went by so slowly you wondered if you were ever going to get to junior high or even high school. Now that you looked back you found that it had all really gone by too fast. How soon were you turning 18? How soon was the year going to be over? How soon till you had to get married, or have a baby, or...die? It was an escalation that you weren't ready for.

You clung to the headrest and your fingers worked their way into the fabric as if they were trying to claw the speeding roadway to go in opposite direction.

"You can calm down, I'm not going to eat you," Kyouya stated.

You blushed and tried to pull your head back into the present.

"Sorry." You turned back around and folded your hands in your lap. "I don't mean to look ungrateful. I really do appreciate everything that you are doing. I'm just kind of nervous." You didn't dare look up at him. You twiddled with your fingers and found other things to distract your eyes.

"Why?"

"Well, I've never been on a date before. And you never told me where we're going." You remembered your main concerns. "I'm dressed okay aren't I? I hope I did this right, I mean, I don't really have anything that looks really nice so I just kind of pulled things from my closet that looked like some of the photos that I found online, and I hope that it looks right for where we are going -all of the dating websites said that on a date a girl should dress for where she was going but sense you didn't tell me I can't really say if I did anything right..." The words were coming out faster than you could form them in your head so you decided that it would most likely be for your benefit to stop talking.

"Exactly how much research did you do from the time you got home?"

"Well...I sort of looked things up as I needed them. And it wasn't really even good research, I just clicked on the first couple of links and skimmed the information that the sites said. It was a lot easier and faster to do that when they wrote in bullet point form so..."  
>"You look fine."<p>

"Fine? Just fine? What stopped it from being good...or great? Was there something that I shouldn't have-"

"Yuko, you look fine," He interrupted.

"Oh...You're just using simple words...okay..."

"Do you need some water? You look like you're about to pass out." He asked with a hint of amusement and worry in his voice, but he stayed straight-faced.

You nodded your head and he got you a bottle out of the refrigerator off to the side. He handed it to you so calmly, like he expected to start freaking out as soon as you got in the car. Maybe he did. You anxiety grew as you realized that you were the only one that was making this car ride awkward. Maybe you had an excuse because it was your first date, first dates are supposed to be a little bit nerve racking right? How many dates had Kyouya gone on that would make him so calm? Maybe he hadn't ever been on a date, but had hosted so much that this would almost be like a job to him. You definitely didn't want it to be like that. You didn't want him to think of you like another job, something that he had to do. But wasn't that why you were so nervous? You had been preparing yourself for weeks on the fact that you would have to put on a mask. You had to separate your personal feelings from business. After all that was what this whole arrangement was wasn't it, it was a business arrangement? You wanted it to be that so much, then you could at least figure out a little bit of how you were supposed to do the next couple of hours...or however long he was going to keep you out.

"Yuko, are you going to drink the water?"

You let your facade break for only a moment. But only in that moment had you let him see. "I do what I want!" You blushed again and bit your tongue.  
>Your reflexes took over and you made eye contact. To your surprise he grinned.<p>

"That's better. For a moment I thought I would have to take you back home."

"What do you mean?" You asked cautiously.

"I mean, I prefer my dates to be opinionated."

"So you really don't care that I don't look right?"

"Not particularly. You dressed with the information that I gave you, and you'll do fine with the places that we are going."

"Places? But, wait, you don't really care?" You clarified

"Maybe you should drink the water know. Normally I don't have to explain things twice to you."

His tone had stayed the same, but his words gave you some encouragement. You thought that you might be able to step into your regular skin slightly, so you tested your tongues plea for sarcasm.

"Have you poisoned it?" You held the water out so you could get a better look at it.

"No, but you can grab a bottle of your own if you don't trust what I give you."

"That doesn't mean that you couldn't have drugged them all," you mumbled while still looking at the water bottle.

Kyouya chuckled slightly, and you smiled. You felt your courage build, and you started slipping into your normal mood.

"I'll drink it if you take half of it first," You looked at him challengingly.

"Whatever keeps you calm," He said as he pulled a cup from the stack that was next to the refrigerator. You stuck your hand out for the cup and took it from him. You looked at the inside of it closely then shook up the water bottle. You opened bottle, pored the drink, handed it back to him, and waited for him to drink.

He took a sip then looked at you.

"Aren't you going to drink any?"

"How do I know that the poison doesn't take effect in large doses?"

He smiled and drank the rest. Slight satisfaction warmed you up and you looked back at your bottle. There was nothing left to it, and it was sort of a step of faith. You took a small sip. You swished it around in your mouth and finally swallowed. You waited for a few moments checking to see if you felt any different.

"You pass for now," You said and placed the bottle in the cup holder.

"Great. Be sure to keep me updated on that."

"If I die or wake up somewhere weird tomorrow I will hunt you down."

"I think I can handle that."

The nervousness had been pushed away to some further end of your consciousness. It was always around the corner, and you could feel it trying to peek its ugly head out, but you wanted this night to continue like this, like before both of you danced. Maybe the water did have something in it because you only shook slightly now.

"So where are we going?" You dared again

.  
>"Somewhere," He answered definitely.<p>

"Do I get anything else?"

"No."

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"Because I said that it was going to be a surprise." He smirked devilishly.

"Then I guess I don't have a choice."

Despite your tone you were very uneasy about the lack of communication. You shifted around in your seat and patted down your jacket. It was almost unnerving to have no control over any of the plans for the evening. That was just going to have to be something that you got over anyway, seeing as your plans for the near future didn't have any of your influence in it either.

"Don't worry, you'll like where we're going." Kyouya's assumption almost made you angry.

In fact, there were so many emotions running throughout your head that you weren't sure if you could trust yourself as to whether you'd actually like something or not. The independence that had built up made you want to assert some kind of dominance, show that you were just the same person as you had been before. You didn't need anybody before to tell you that you didn't have to worry your pretty little head, why should you let anyone now? However you tried to break down the rebellion by reminding yourself of the position that was soon to be played. A wife wasn't dominant, at least not in Japan. A wife played things behind the scenes, and if she wished to torture her husband she did so through his bank account. Still, you couldn't let the good mood that you had started change back to the awkwardness that would arise if you didn't keep positive on the outside.

"I trust you," You finally replied.

The car ride continued with a little bit of idle chat. There wasn't really much that either of you could talk about too much without letting the rest of the date spoil. You asked him about how the host club had been as of late. He replied that they were fine. The decorations were coming just like they had been before, though the other members often complained to him about missing your presence. That made you a little happy. Maybe after you and he figured out how to behave you could go back to enjoying the company of the other hosts. You remembered why you hadn't told any of them before and wondered now that you had your head in the game more you could stand their wishes for your happiness.

He asked you what you had been doing for the past couple of months that made you unable to visit the club more often.

"Oh, well, I just had a few things that I had to sort out with my uncle."

"And that took you a few months?"

"Don't be a dick," You laughed sadly. "We had our own issues about...the arrangement. I think we solved them though."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I got to see his point of view. I understand a little why he did what he did, and I think I can accept the responsibility."

"What caused the change in heart?"

"We just learned how to communicate."

Silence took over the car again. His questions did make you go back over your soften attitude. You remembered how angry you had been, how dramatic you were those few weeks. It now all seemed too dramatic. The more you were able to talk with Kyouya, the easier accepting your role became. And yet...that pricking wouldn't go away.

"How do you feel about all of this?" You asked quietly. You looked up at him and studied his face. There was really not much there besides what he usually wore when talking about his family.

"I will do what is necessary."

"I don't know how you accept it so easily." If there was one time that you thought that you could get anything out of him, anything of how he made his life easier by the burden of being a tool, it was now.

"So you aren't fine with it then?" The table had been flipped instead.

"No, no, I am...It's just...You do a lot more sacrificing for your father. It's like that is your whole life."

"I have a plan, and playing the game is a part of it."

"So that's your secret?" You smiled.

"I guess you could say that."

Playing the game was a part of his plan. It did make sense, how he was able to stride so smoothly. To make this discovery work you also needed a plan.  
>"So what is your plan?" One little hint was all you needed.<p>

"You don't need to concern yourself with that."

And the hint was fully denied. Still, why wouldn't you need to know? This question made you uneasy. Why wouldn't you need to know? If you were going to be his wife, wouldn't you have to? Shouldn't you know so you can help him achieve it?

"Can't I help in any way?"

"We'll see."

That right there. That proved that the date had to go perfectly. You made up your mind that the date was really about this issue right here: not about you and him talking about the marriage, but seeing if you could help him. It made sense.

The car pulled around a drive way and stopped. You didn't even realize that the ride had taken any time. The windows in the car had been a little dark, and anyways you were preoccupied with awkward chat. If the first step hadn't been that bad, how bad could the rest of it be? The anesthesia of simple conversation had dulled down your panic...and yet.

The door opened and Kyouya got out first. He extended his hand toward you and you genteelly took it. When you stepped from the shelter of the car and took in fully where you were you saw why Kyouya might have wanted this to be a surprise.

A large building in both width and height stood before you. The clean straight cut walls reflected many of the lights and people passing by. Little flags and signs hung from familiar positions. On the outside it could have been anther business office- or maybe a hotel or a pricey residential area- but you knew this place. This was one of your favorite art museums. You had really only gotten the chance to visit here a few times, despite your wondering around the city. Maybe it was because you did live a little ways from this area, or maybe because it was familiar, but you found looking at the building to be lightening. It was something that was you. It was not a fancy restaurant, not a gala that you couldn't keep a smile on for. It was a place that was more you then you were at the moment.

You pulled back into the car for a moment because you felt a sting of betrayal from the back of your head. Kyouya had taken the time to bring you to a place that was comfortable, and you probably should have trusted him to be kinder then what you had always known him to be in the Host Club. This was a place for you to be natural, maybe for Kyouya to see what you were like when there were really no other people around to see. People act differently when they are at home, work, school, with friends, family, or alone. You wondered if you were much different in your head compared to how people saw you, that is if they saw you at all. Do people really realize if they act differently?

"Are you alright?" Kyouya pulled back against your reluctant hand.

You smiled, embarrassed, because you still needed to make him believe. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. This was just...not expected."

"I hope not. That would ruin the purpose of not telling you where we were going," He joked, yet it was kind and soft.

You finally stood up, and fully took in the building. This was the start of a night. You, Kyouya, and a whole lot of looming.

Kyouya still hand your hand, so he placed it at the crook of his elbow. You clung on as well as you could for the position. He turned his head back to the driver slightly and told him he would call when he was needed again, so he was to stay in the area. The driver nodded and went back to his position. After Kyouya had finished his command, you took a breath because you knew you would need it to walk. Kyouya turned back around, looked at you, smirked, and both of you walked in unison toward the front entrance.


End file.
